Gov. Sherrill implements protest zones to ‘cool things down’ at Newark detention center

After a week of escalating clashes between federal immigration agents and protesters outside a Newark detention facility, Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced Friday that New Jersey State Police would take over the area outside of Delaney Hall and establish protected protest zones in an effort to “cool things down” and avoid giving federal officials the “pretext” to intervene further. 

“We’ve seen increasing violence, arrests, and pepper spray at Delaney Hall, as well as public threats from the Trump administration. And we’ve seen the risk to public safety rising outside of Delaney Hall,” said Sherrill, a Democrat. “It has grown unsafe and that’s completely unacceptable.” 

The announcement capped a week in which Delaney Hall — the privately-run, 1,000-bed immigration facility in Newark run by Geo Group — became a volatile flashpoint in New Jersey’s fight against President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda. 

Under the plan announced Friday afternoon, state police will establish marked peaceful assembly zones outside the facility, encircled by more than 600 yards of bike racks, according to Lt. Col. David Sierotowicz. Vehicle checkpoints have already been set up to reduce traffic and the risk of protestors being struck. And Sierotowicz said U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement agents have agreed to “remove themselves from the immediate area” — a significant de-escalation from the past week of pepper spray, batons and arrests alongside Doremus Avenue. 

“We’ve seen over the past four nights, continued interactions between ICE and protestors,” he said. “We really feel like adding ICE to this situation has made things less safe, and we’ve seen a surge now in ICE agents coming into the region, which has given us a great deal of concern.” 

Officials noted that pro-ICE rallies are expected over the weekend, and they will have their own area to gather.  

“We need to do everything we can to lower the temperature and de-escalate the situation,” Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said. 

Activists on the ground in Newark cautiously welcomed the news. Sally Pillay, an advocate with Eyes on ICE NJ, said she thinks it’s a good move, but worried “the protesters are not going to hear it.” She’s also concerned about dueling protests over the weekend and whether tensions could continue to rise. 

“It’s very chaotic. Things have escalated and there are folks out there that mean well, that are showing up to support and uplift the demands, but we also recognize that there are folks who are coming and escalating,” she said. “We have a responsibility to protect one another and to remain grounded in the voices of the detained people and their families.” 

On May 22, roughly 300 detainees launched a hunger and labor strike inside to call attention to what they called inhumane conditions, including live worms in their food. Since Memorial Day weekend, protesters have gathered outside the facility daily, with confrontations turning more violent at night. Elected officials have entered the facility to speak with detainees participating in the hunger strike — and at times, officials have been hit with pepper spray themselves. And on Thursday, detainees reported that agents inside retaliated against them and used pepper spray in a unit that remained on lockdown throughout the evening. 

Sherrill’s plan also comes a day after Department of Human Services Secretary Markwayne Mullin claimed the governor refused to allow state police to assist ICE officers. In a statement Friday, he thanked the governor for allowing police to assist ICE agents after days of refusals and called it a “win for law and order.” 

He also said that about 100 anti-ICE protesters gathered outside the facility Thursday — biting, kicking, and punching law enforcement. He said nine people were arrested, in addition to eight people on Wednesday.  

“Assaulting and obstructing ICE law enforcement is a crime and felony. Anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This violence against law enforcement must end,” Mullin said.

DHS officials have also denied allegations that a hunger strike is ongoing inside the facility, claiming that detainees receive three meals a day. Mullin has accused politicians of staging a “political stunt.” 

Sherrill was refused entry when she attempted to visit Monday — though state officials are not guaranteed the same access as federal officials like congressional members. She also noted that the state Department of Health sought to conduct an inspection Thursday but was denied full access, only viewing a limited portion of the facility, and said she’d keep pushing for a full inspection.

She also stressed her support for the facility to be shut down entirely, citing the unsafe conditions inside. 

“Delaney Hall is a private detention facility — run by a for-profit company providing zero transparency,” she said. “I’ll keep pushing to see Delaney Hall close.”