The anti-ICE protest at the Newark Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility drew attention again on Tuesday, with activists clashing with agents, dramatic moments caught on video, and an awkward misidentification that left protesters looking foolish while staff laughed. This piece walks through the day’s key episodes, including confrontations, profanity aimed at reporters, pepper spray use, and a few particularly notable “find out” moments captured on camera. The account relies on on-scene reporting and footage to show how the protest unfolded and how federal staff responded. Below are the events and exchanges as they happened, presented plainly.
The demonstrations continued after previous days of activity at the ICE facility, where protesters have been trying to pressure authorities over conditions and detainee treatment. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security denied the activists’ claims about bad conditions. Public figures had visited the site earlier in the week, and those visits helped keep the story in the spotlight while tensions remained high between demonstrators and federal personnel.
On Monday, protesters attempted to block exits and engaged physically with officers, prompting agents to use pepper spray for crowd control. One senator who visited the site reportedly was affected by the spray, highlighting how volatile the scene can become quickly. These confrontations set the tone for the next day’s demonstration, where more clashes and dramatic removals would occur.
Tuesday’s action included a moment that border personnel and onlookers found amusing and revealing about the protesters’ assumptions. In one clip, two men emerged through the gate; a reporter on scene identified one as possibly being a detainee, while the other spoke in defense of “Geo Company,” which provides services to the facility. Protesters reacted angrily to the mention of Geo, accusing the company of giving “billions” to the “Nazis,” but the man simply smiled, shrugged, and waved to staff as he left.
Shortly after, two Hispanic-looking men in T-shirts walked out, and the crowd began cheering, apparently celebrating what they thought was a release. Staff stationed at the gate immediately burst out laughing and called out, “They work here, dumba***s!” followed by, “That’s racist! They just assumed! They just assumed they got released!” The exchange undercut the protesters’ credibility in a loud, public way, and it underscored that many Hispanic people serve in CBP and ICE roles.
The laughter at the gate became a viral highlight of the day, with agency employees enjoying the moment as protesters realized their mistake. That reaction spoke to a broader point: the demonstrations sometimes hinge on assumptions and theatrics rather than verified facts. For federal employees, whose job is to secure the border and manage respectful detainee care, these encounters are part of a difficult job made harder by hostile, chaotic scenes.
Fox senior reporter Alexis McAdams reported on the scene and noted that foul language was a “constant” challenge for journalists covering the protest, since activists were demanding detainee releases that DHS would not authorize. Video from the protest includes graphic insults directed at McAdams, who was called “a Nazi b—ch, you’re a Nazi b—ch.” That line appears in the footage exactly as quoted and was offered as evidence of the combative tone used by some protesters.
Fox’s Will Cain quipped about the incident, calling it the “eloquent argument made against the presence of Alexis McAdams,” a sarcastic response to the profane outburst. Reporters on the ground had to manage both the story and the harassment, all while federal agents tried to maintain order. The tense atmosphere meant clashes happened repeatedly during the day’s actions.
At one point, an agent allegedly had an umbrella thrown at him, which escalated the situation and led officers to pursue the individual involved. Video footage shows agents using pepper spray for crowd control during the chase and then physically detaining a suspect. Elaad Eliahu captured much of the interaction on camera, including the moment agents picked someone up and removed him from the scene.
Two arrests were reported by DHS in connection with the events at the Newark facility that day. The detentions followed several confrontations between protesters and federal staff and represented how quickly a protest can turn into a law-enforcement operation when objects are thrown or staff safety is jeopardized. The footage keeps appearing online, and it paints a picture of a protest that combined earnest grievances with chaotic tactics that sometimes backfired.
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