Protests at Delaney Hall Detention Center

The Delaney Hall immigrant detention center in Newark has become a hotspot in President Trump’s immigration measures. Since its reopening last year, it has been filled with individuals taken into federal custody and drawn significant protests.

The facility gained attention in May 2025 when Newark’s mayor, Ras Baraka, was charged with trespassing, and Representative LaMonica McIver faced an assault charge during a demonstration. The charges against Mr. Baraka were later dropped, but Ms. McIver’s case is still ongoing. Both officials are from the Democratic Party.

In June last year, four men managed to escape the 1,000-bed facility through a weak wall during a disturbance. This was reportedly triggered by overcrowded conditions and irregular meal schedules, according to immigration lawyers and detainees’ families. In December, a 41-year-old Haitian man passed away shortly after his arrival at the center, labeled a medical emergency by federal officials.

The most recent confrontation began over Memorial Day weekend. Protesters gathered to support detainees who were believed to be on a hunger strike over the conditions inside. The situation escalated when New Jersey’s governor, Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, joined the demonstrators.

Memorial Day, May 25

Governor Sherrill’s departure marked the end of her participation. Immigration agents then faced protesters blocking an entrance in a tense standoff. Authorities deployed pepper balls and sprays at demonstrators who reportedly refused to disperse. Senator Andy Kim, another Democrat, was among those impacted.

As the protest continued, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began forcibly removing those obstructing the facility’s entrance.