Police and Protesters Clash at NJ Detention Center
Delaney Hall protest Newark clashes
Violent clashes erupted outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, on the evening of Friday, May 29, 2026, forcing State Police to intervene in a rapidly escalating situation. The confrontation occurred hours after Governor Mikie Sherrill announced the establishment of “peaceful, protected” protest zones in an effort to restore order and de-escalate tensions between anti-ICE demonstrators and federal immigration enforcement agents. By 10 p.m., State Police in riot gear had moved to clear the area, resulting in several arrests as demonstrators, some equipped with gas masks and goggles, refused orders to relocate to the designated zones.
The unrest follows more than a week of mounting tensions surrounding the privately run detention center, operated by the GEO Group. Since mid-May, approximately 300 detainees have participated in a labor and hunger strike, alleging substandard living conditions, including poor medical care and inadequate food. The situation had intensified as demonstrators gathered nightly to support the detainees, frequently resulting in confrontations with ICE officers. Governor Sherrill, who has been critical of the federal government’s handling of the facility, previously attempted to conduct an oversight visit but was denied entry by authorities.
In her address to the public on Saturday, Governor Sherrill expressed frustration with the involvement of external actors, noting that five of the six individuals arrested on Friday night were not residents of New Jersey. She condemned the presence of what she described as “national extremist groups” that she claimed had traveled to Newark specifically to escalate tensions. “You should not be here,” Sherrill stated during a news conference. “You are not helping the people detained at Delaney Hall. You’re not helping detainee families, and you’re certainly not keeping New Jersey safe.”
The administration’s decision to deploy State Police to take over public safety operations from ICE has been met with mixed responses. While the Department of Homeland Security, through Secretary Markwayne Mullin, characterized the cooperation as a “win for law and order,” local advocates and Democratic lawmakers remain focused on the alleged conditions inside the facility. As competing rallies between pro-ICE and anti-ICE demonstrators were planned for the weekend, the state government has remained firm in its commitment to maintaining the protest zones. For ongoing updates on the situation in Newark, follow the latest reports from CBS News New York.
