Officials in New Jersey announced Monday that several protesters were arrested overnight for defying a curfew at Delaney Hall, the Newark immigration detention center that has experienced over a week of chaotic and often violent clashes.
Arrests and Police Response
State Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, a Democrat, posted on X that a group of individuals “had come to the protest armed with helmets, shields, or gas masks, [and] deliberately refused to comply with repeated orders to leave the area,” leading to their arrest. The New York Post reported at least 20 to 25 arrests, publishing photographs of people being led away in handcuffs by state police. Advocacy groups, including the Immigration Coalition, claimed “over 46 Delaney Hall protesters … arrested” in a social media post late Sunday.
CBS News reported that state officers in riot gear and on horseback rushed the crowd less than 15 minutes after issuing a dispersal order for a half-mile exclusion zone around the facility. Bystanders captured some scenes on video, posted to YouTube.
Background of the Conflict
On Friday, Davenport and Governor Mikie Sherrill announced state law enforcement would take over policing duties from federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to reduce tensions after eight days of confrontations. Detainees at Delaney Hall have been engaged in hunger and labor strikes against conditions, including the suspension of family visitation rights.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka imposed an immediate 9pm to 6am curfew Sunday “due to the escalating situation … to protect public safety.” Multiple individuals were arrested Saturday night in possession of weapons, he said.
Governor Sherrill stated that violence by protesters endangered law enforcement and the public, adding, “I refuse to let these dangerous actions detract from New Jersey’s dedication to ensuring public safety, keeping people safe from ICE, and that the people detained inside Delaney Hall are treated with dignity.”
DHS and Congressional Reactions
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a video Sunday night of an unarmed protester being dragged at gunpoint behind a line of riot gear officers, captioning it “Don’t be this guy.” Earlier DHS posts included messages like “law and order” and “ZERO tolerance for rioters.” DHS has called allegations of mistreatment, denial of medical care, and inedible food “a hoax,” stating that “ALL detainees receive FULL due process and are provided comprehensive medical care and 3 meals a day,” including fajitas, burritos, and cake.
These claims contradict testimony from Democratic politicians who visited the facility. House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries said after a congressional oversight visit, “The lack of access to quality food, that’s not America. The lack of access to adequate medical treatment, that’s not America.” He noted that 18-year-old high school girls are held there and called for Delaney Hall to be shut down, accusing officials of “depraved indifference to human life.”
DHS responded that the facility provides “basic necessities,” not luxury accommodations. Governor Sherrill confirmed Sunday that family visitation at Delaney Hall had been partially restored and will fully resume Monday after being suspended due to nearby violence.
