Clashes at Delaney Hall: Protests and Unrest

The Delaney Hall immigrant detention center in Newark has become a significant focal point in discussions around immigration policy. Since it reopened last year, the center has been filling with individuals taken into federal custody from the Northeast. This has led to ongoing protests.

Notably, the center garnered significant attention in May 2025. During a protest, Newark’s mayor, Ras Baraka, faced trespassing charges, and Representative LaMonica McIver was charged with assault. While the case against Baraka was dismissed, McIver’s case continues. Both are members of the Democratic Party.

In June of the previous year, unrest at the facility allowed four detainees to escape through a weak section of the wall. Challenges cited include overcrowding and inadequate meals. Moreover, in December, a 41-year-old Haitian man died shortly after arriving at the center, labeled as a medical emergency by federal officials.

The situation intensified during the Memorial Day weekend. Protesters gathered to support reported hunger strikers within the facility, demanding better conditions. New Jersey’s Governor Mikie Sherrill, also a Democrat, joined the protest efforts.

The Memorial Day Incident

On Memorial Day, May 25, tensions escalated following Sherrill’s departure from the protest. Immigration agents encountered resistance from demonstrators blocking an entrance. Agents used pepper balls and spray in an attempt to disperse the crowd, affecting Senator Andy Kim, also a Democrat.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began removing demonstrators blocking the entrance forcefully. The images captured during these events highlight the tense confrontations between authorities and protesters.