NEWARK, N.J. — The continued unrest outside Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, took on a distinctly ideological tone during ICE demonstrations Saturday, as far-left communist-socialist activists and a far-right group clashed, transforming a protest over the center’s conditions into a broader political spectacle.
The standoff began more than a week ago, when illegal immigrant detainees penned an open letter alleging physical and psychological torture, claiming they were being denied medical care and adequate food.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) quickly denied the allegations, releasing facility menus to prove detainees are provided three daily meals with options like chicken fajitas and Salisbury steak.
After violent skirmishes earlier in the week, where federal agents were assaulted by agitators, Democrat Gov. Mikie Sherrill ordered the New Jersey State Police to take over security, claiming the move was necessary to protect the demonstrators from an “ICE surge.”
By Saturday morning, the immigrant detention center had been transformed into a fortified zone surrounded by large orange plastic barricades and metal fencing.
State officials admitted the chaos is being driven by outside instigators rather than local residents, with state Attorney General Jennifer Davenport confirming five of the six people arrested by state police this week were not from New Jersey.
A crowd of roughly 200 anti-ICE demonstrators, heavily intertwined with far-left and socialist organizations, dominated the scene Saturday, chanting, “Stop ICE Gestapo! Communist revolution!” while distributing radical literature reading “LONG LIVE COMMUNISM!” and “NO PAPERS, NO BORDERS, NO BOSSES.”
ICE supporters, including members of the far-right Proud Boys, also made an appearance at the protest Saturday carrying pro-ICE flags, food and cases of water for law enforcement.
Their arrival sent a shockwave through the heavily outnumbering anti-ICE crowd, with far-left agitators immediately rushing toward the barriers, screaming profanities and shifting their chants to “Proud Boys go home.”
During a news conference Saturday afternoon, Sherrill claimed ICE engagement “creates an incredibly dangerous situation” adding she refuses to “back down in fighting the Trump administration and the threats they’ve made.”
Sherrill acknowledged that “national extremist groups” have infiltrated the protests to create chaos, warning out-of-state actors that they are endangering the public and not helping the detainees.
“You’re not helping detainee families, and you’re certainly not keeping new Jersey safe today,” the governor said. “Going forward, I urge those protesting outside of Delaney Hall to bring the temperature down so we can focus on the detainees and their families. Comply with the lawful orders from local and state law enforcement and let advocates, faith leaders and members of this community continue their work here in America.”
She added state health inspectors were recently blocked from viewing anything other than the facility’s kitchen, and called on the Department of Homeland Security to stop pressuring detainees into signing deportation documents.
