Reports indicate that anti-ICE activists from different parts of the country are causing disturbances outside Delaney Hall, a busy immigration detention center in New Jersey. This information was shared by Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin on Monday.
Mullin noted that individuals were coming from as far away as Portland, Oregon, leading to unrest around the Newark facility. Between May 26 and May 29, law enforcement arrested 21 protesters for allegedly attacking federal officers, with at least 20 more arrests made on Sunday alone.
The Secretary acknowledged the New Jersey State Police for intervening, even though they were initially hesitant to aid the federal response amidst a week of tumult. He pointed out that in sanctuary cities, law enforcement often faces challenges due to political leadership that may restrict their actions.
“When they arrived at Delaney Hall, officers discovered that the protesters were far from the peaceful demonstrators that some had claimed,” he said during the press briefing.
Mullin described the protesters as “well organized” and noted that they had an adequate supply of materials, just hours after federal agents dismantled a volunteer setup meant for families of detainees.
Protests against ICE have been ongoing in Portland since June 2025, becoming more frequent and intense. In a notable incident, a protester accidentally set themselves on fire while attempting to burn an American flag near the immigration facility.
While Mullin did not clarify how many agitators may have traveled from other states, two individuals from the tri-state area have been charged with misconduct. Brendan John Guyer, 26, from Madison, New Jersey, allegedly confronted law enforcement during last week’s protests and has a prior accusation related to child pornography during his college years.
Another individual, Nicholas Matthew Scelfo, 27, of Brooklyn, faces charges for threatening the life of a federal agent and his family during a confrontation at Delaney Hall on May 27. Video footage captured him making aggressive threats, which raised alarm among the authorities.
