Sherrill Blames ICE After Newark Detention Center Riot
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill is under fire after she pointed the finger at ICE agents following a chaotic scene outside Delaney Hall in Newark. The trouble started during a protest near the detention facility, but it quickly escalated into something far more serious.
According to reports and Sherrill’s own remarks, masked individuals attacked barriers, threw projectiles at law enforcement, and set tires on fire in the street. Police were called in to keep the area under control after the situation turned dangerous.
Sherrill said the protest had also drawn people from outside New Jersey. She told reporters that “people from outside the state have been interfering in the protests and escalating them. 5 of the 6 people arrested [Friday] night by state police were from outside New Jersey.”
Rather than focus her criticism on the people who were damaging property and attacking officers, Sherrill argued that ICE was helping fuel the unrest. She said, “What seems to really be inciting a lot of this are really the ICE agents,” and added, “So the ICE agents really need to stay out of there. That seems to really be inciting a lot of this right now.”
That line drew a fast reaction online, especially as video and social posts circulated showing the crowd outside the facility. The clips showed a tense scene, with police trying to hold the line while the crowd pushed back.
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Sherrill later posted a longer message on X describing the violence and saying the area needed to stay secure. She said the people detained inside Delaney Hall should be treated with dignity, while also urging everyone involved to bring the temperature down.
https://x.com/GovSherrillNJ/status/2060839920780882079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
She also said she would keep pushing for better conditions at the facility and wants Delaney Hall closed for good. That stance puts her squarely on the side of activists who want the facility shut down, even after police faced violent behavior outside its gates.
https://x.com/GovSherrillNJ/status/2061042802285240365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The bigger issue is simple. When a crowd turns violent and officers are getting hit with objects, the public expects a governor to call it out clearly. Instead, Sherrill blamed ICE and kept her focus on the facility itself. That decision is likely to keep the criticism coming.