Protest Escalation and Clashes
Outside the Delaney Hall immigrant detention center in Newark, confrontations between protesters and authorities have occasionally taken a violent turn. Authorities have deployed tear gas and used batons as they encountered resistance from demonstrators.
See the Clashes Between ICE and Protesters in New Jersey
Delaney Hall has become a point of contention since its reopening last year amid the immigration crackdown led by President Trump. It has been filling with individuals taken into federal custody from around the Northeast and attracting demonstrators consistently.
Notable Incidents
The center gained significant attention in May 2025. During a protest, Newark’s Mayor Ras Baraka was charged with trespassing and Representative LaMonica McIver faced an assault charge amid chaotic clashes with immigration agents. Charges against Mr. Baraka were dropped, while Ms. McIver’s case is ongoing. Both are Democrats.
In June, four men escaped the 1,000-bed facility through a weak wall amidst unrest. Immigration lawyers and detainees’ families attributed this to overcrowding and insufficient meals. In December, a Haitian man died shortly after arriving, due to what officials labeled as a medical emergency.
Recent Developments
Over the Memorial Day weekend, demonstrations took place supporting detainees reportedly on a hunger strike due to the center’s conditions. Tensions escalated after New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, also a Democrat, participated in the protest.
Monday, Memorial Day, May 25
After Governor Sherrill departed the protest, immigration agents engaged in a standoff with demonstrators blocking an entrance. Agents discharged pepper balls and spray, citing refusal to disperse by the protesters.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents started forcibly removing demonstrators blocking an entrance.