An unassuming industrial space on the outskirts of Newark, New Jersey, is a hub of discourse this week as sooner or later after one other, protesters conflict with federal brokers exterior an ICE detention facility whereas lawmakers name for inspections and oversight.
The demonstrations come amid the Trump administration’s controversial immigration crackdown, this time centered on the residing circumstances at Delaney Hall, a privately owned, 1,000-bed facility which is able to quickly have a devoted “protest zone” exterior.
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Detainees have alleged inhumane circumstances at Delaney Hall for months. But tensions escalated over Memorial Day weekend as hundreds of detainees went on a hunger strike to protest spoiled meals and wretched circumstances, a few of their legal professionals mentioned.
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“The conditions are brutal,” mentioned Selenia Destefani, managing legal professional and CEO of Nova Law Group, which represents folks within the facility. “People just sleep on the floor – overcrowded rooms, cold showers, no food, extremely cold in the cells with no blankets.”
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DHS gave a totally different image of what’s taking place inside Delaney Hall. “No lawbreakers in the history of human civilization have been better treated than illegal aliens. They are provided 3 meals a day, medical care, and receive full due process,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis mentioned Friday, rebutting studies of a starvation strike.
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Detainees with medical circumstances similar to most cancers and diabetes can’t entry medical care, mentioned Alex Minogue, one other legal professional at Nova Law Group.
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DHS additionally “provide(s) comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody,” together with “medical, dental, and mental health services as available, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care,” the company mentioned.
Here’s what the facility, positioned on a busy arterial crowded with massive industrial autos, has regarded like this week.
Protesters and immigration officers conflict Thursday evening exterior of Delaney Hall
Some elected officers, together with New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, tried to see the circumstances inside Delaney Hall for themselves over the vacation weekend – but were initially denied entry, they mentioned. Several officers have since been allowed contained in the facility.
New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim, a Democrat, spoke with detainees inside Delaney Hall Monday. When he emerged from the facility, the lawmaker mentioned he discovered himself in a standoff between brokers and protesters. Though Kim mentioned he “tried to bring the temperature down” and calm each side, he as a substitute was briefly debilitated by pepper spray.
Sen. Andy Kim was uncovered to pepper spray on Monday throughout protests at Delaney Hall
Federal brokers and protesters stand peacefully exterior Delaney Hall
The inflow of protesters and politicians has ebbed and flowed exterior the razor wire-clad constructing, with crowds swelling to the tons of and shrinking to a handful.
Altercations inside and exterior the facility
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Several lawmakers obtained calls about reported violence in opposition to detainees contained in the facility Thursday, which allegedly included pepper spray and bodily pressure.
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DHS mentioned “Staff responded to a physical fight involving detainees at Delaney Hall. In accordance with established ICE policies and their training, staff used the minimum amount of force to safely deescalate the situation. Following the incident, all affected detainees were promptly evaluated by on-site medical personnel and were cleared with no serious injuries.”
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Outside, the conflict between protesters and federal brokers once more turned bodily.
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“Governor Sherrill refused to allow state police to assist our officers,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin mentioned in a social media post.
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Gov. Sherrill’s workplace declined to touch upon Mullin’s assertion.
On Friday morning, employees from the GEO Group – which operates Delaney Hall – painted yellow strains onto the sidewalk and posted “private property” and “no trespassing” indicators exterior the facility’s primary entry factors, the place demonstrators have gathered for days. A telecommunications truck additionally arrived, and a employee was seen putting in surveillance cameras.
Workers paint contemporary “no trespassing” indicators exterior Delaney Hall on Friday, May 29, 2026.
Friday afternoon, the governor introduced New Jersey State Police would take over from ICE to ascertain a “peaceful, protected protest zone” exterior Delaney Hall.
DHS informed NCS the state’s announcement is “a win for law and order,” whereas doubling down on their earlier assertion the governor had refused to permit state police to help ICE brokers at the protests.
Mullin in a assertion Friday thanked the governor for “now allowing the New Jersey State Police to cooperate with us.”
As DHS continues to push back in opposition to the allegations of inhumane residing circumstances, New Jersey’s Health Department tried to examine the facility “to conduct a public health and food safety inspection in response to reports and complaints about conditions at the facility.”
“Our team was denied the ability to conduct a full inspection of the facility and was allowed to conduct only a food service inspection,” the division informed NCS Friday.
Depending on how the protests proceed, DHS mentioned they’re contemplating pulling Customs and Border Protection officers from obligation at Newark Airport to help brokers exterior Delaney Hall, a transfer that might result in air journey delays.
A “Support ICE” rally is deliberate for Saturday exterior the facility.
“These images – what happened – it honestly felt very familiar because we’ve seen it online. We’ve seen it on TV. To see it in person is surreal,” mentioned Kim. “But what we see is, unfortunately, the normalization of this violence in America.”
NCS’s Taylor Romine, Sarah Boxer, Chris Boyette and Sarah Dewberry contributed to this report.