Insist on operating outside the context of the protest. Detainees inside went on a hunger strike. Federal authorities then called New Jersey State Police to the door.
State Police use force to disperse demonstrators outside Delaney Hall
On Friday, May 29, 2026, New Jersey State Police used tear gas, riot shields, and horses to disperse protesters outside Delaney Hall.
Tensions at the controversial immigration detention center escalated in late May, with supporters protesting outside, some detainees inside refraining from eating in protest, and federal authorities summoning New Jersey State Police at the gate.
Clashes broke out between federal immigration agents and protesters just outside the gates of Delaney Hall, a private U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Newark. Protests have been occurring since they resumed months after the second Trump administration took office, but they intensified over Memorial Day weekend when detainees began a hunger strike. The Department of Homeland Security, including ICE, denied that a hunger strike was taking place at Delaney Hall, run by GEO Group.
Federal prosecutors have charged one demonstrator with kicking and biting a federal officer, and other arrests have been reported. Meanwhile, a statement from the ACLU of New Jersey said most of the protests have been peaceful and law enforcement is responsible for escalating tensions.
For some, Delaney Hall has become a symbol of President Donald Trump’s expanding immigration enforcement and rapid expansion of immigrant detention centers.
What’s the latest on the protests?
Gov. Mikie Sherrill recently deployed New Jersey State Police to the area outside Delaney Hall. She said there is a need to protect public safety and avoid escalation by ICE, which has raided communities.
Federal immigration agents charged into the crowd, brandished batons and fired pepper spray into the crowd, NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. DHS has accused protesters of throwing objects at officers, leading to an escalating standoff.
Late on May 29, state police wearing riot gear and on horseback used force to disperse anti-ICE demonstrators outside the facility who had previously clashed with federal agents, NorthJersey.com reported. State police also erected a fence around the “protest zone,” which some see as a violation of free speech.
“I urge all those currently protesting, now and in the future, to act peacefully in safe areas and work together to lower temperatures,” Sherrill said in a May 30 statement. “We must focus on advocating for better conditions for detainees and their families, and ultimately the closure of Delaney Hall.”
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin thanked Sherrill for deploying state police.
“We support the constitutional right of all Americans to peacefully protest,” he said in a May 30 social media post. “No one has the right to be subject to law enforcement for rioting and assault, and we look forward to building on this partnership and working together to remove the worst from New Jersey’s communities.”
Mullin, a former U.S. senator from Oklahoma, has threatened to cut international flight processing at Newark Liberty International Airport. He said cuts to airport service will impact travel and business, but plans are in place to transfer federal employees to protect detention center staff.
On May 30, pro-ICE demonstrators had planned a protest in support of the detention center and its staff.
Democrats demand shutdown
The two-story facility, built in 2000 and located on approximately 227,000 square feet, was used as an immigration detention center from 2011 to 2017, then as a drug treatment center and halfway house.
The facility had been vacant since 2023 before reopening in May 2025 under a 15-year, $1 billion contract with GEO Group, the second-largest private prison operator in the United States. It was one of the first detention centers opened during President Trump’s second term. With over 1,000 beds, Delaney Hall is the largest detention center in the Northeast.
New Jersey Democrats have long called for Delaney Hall to be shut down.
Days after opening, federal immigration authorities briefly arrested and later released Newark Mayor Ras Baraka during a standoff on May 9, 2025. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) was later charged with forcible obstruction and obstruction of a federal officer. She denied the charges and appealed for the case to be dismissed.
On May 25, 2026, Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) said he was pepper sprayed during a protest outside the facility.
What about hunger strikes?
The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey announced that hundreds of detainees began a hunger strike at Delaney Hall on May 22nd.
According to NorthJersey.com, detainees are demanding the release of vulnerable people, including the elderly, pregnant, young people and those with serious medical conditions. Advocates and elected officials say some have been detained for months without scheduled hearings, and others are being pressured to sign documents for deportation or voluntary departure.
The New Jersey Immigrant Justice Alliance said detainees participating in the reported hunger strike are seeking freedom, not better conditions.
Advocates and detainees have complained about conditions since its opening. In June 2025, just one month after it opened, detainees broke through the walls, citing poor conditions including insufficient and substandard food. The four men ran away but were captured.
In December, Haitian national Jean Wilson Brutus, 41, died at a local hospital after just one day at Delaney Hall. ICE said he died of “suspected natural causes.” His family called for an investigation.
The detainees have requested a face-to-face meeting with Cheryl. On May 28, Sherrill said New Jersey health officials tried to inspect Delaney Hall, but were only able to see part of the detention center.
Contributor: N’dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY. Michael Karas, NorthJersey.com
