On Tuesday, a protest outside the Newark immigration detention center turned chaotic, marking the fifth consecutive day of demonstrations. During the unrest, an anti-ICE group reportedly sprayed a federal immigration officer with a chemical substance.
Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin indicated that tensions escalated as the situation intensified, with federal agents being targeted by the crowd. Video footage captured individuals, dressed in masks and keffiyehs, confronting ICE agents and obstructing vehicles.
Mullin reported that two protesters were arrested for their actions against federal officers, stressing that attacking law enforcement is a serious crime. He expressed his anger over the incidents and asserted that those who assault officers would face legal consequences.
Meanwhile, President Trump, addressing a Cabinet meeting, referred to the demonstrators as being “paid” to participate, and dismissed them as “fake.” By Wednesday morning, the crowd had diminished, and around 30 armed ICE agents were present at the facility’s main entrance.
Delaney Hall has seen increasing unrest since Friday, when detainees reportedly began a hunger and labor strike, citing poor conditions in the 1,000-bed facility. The protests have grown more violent, particularly after Governor Mikie Sherrill joined the demonstrators, an act that the Department of Homeland Security characterized as a “political stunt.”
Inside the facility, migrants have alleged they were given contaminated food, were cramped without air conditioning, and faced neglect regarding their immigration cases. However, DHS countered these claims, arguing that conditions at the facility exceed those of many U.S. prisons housing citizens.
Marin stated that only a small number of detainees were opting out of meals, saying they desired “ethnic” food. He further suggested that they could return to their countries for their preferred cuisine and insisted the facility wasn’t meant to be a luxurious stay.
Mullin also criticized Governor Sherrill and other participants in the recent protests, expressing concern over their priorities, particularly during Memorial Day.
