On Memorial Day weekend a protest at the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey turned chaotic when activists blocked entrances, federal agents pushed through, and Democratic officials showed up to challenge the facility. The scene included makeshift blockades, chants aimed at ICE staff, pepper spray used by police, and heated exchanges between protesters, members of Congress, and Homeland Security. This account lays out who was present, what happened, and the official responses that followed, including direct quotes from DHS and an explanation of the facility’s reported conditions.
Most people spent Memorial Day remembering the fallen, but a crowd of activists chosen a different focus near the Delaney Hall facility. The protest brought signs, flags, and a determined effort to surround the building and block access. Local and federal officers faced a human chain and barricades assembled from whatever materials the demonstrators could grab.
Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) attempted to enter the detention center on Sunday and returned Monday alongside Gov. Mikie Sherrill. Their presence escalated tensions as activists dug up large blocks and piled debris to reinforce exit blockades. Demonstrators chanted at federal agents and demanded they “Quit your job,” while calling attention to alleged abuses inside the facility.
“A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said Kim personally called Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and that he was allowed in the facility to conduct his congressional oversight responsibilities. However, the spokesperson criticized Sherrill over the appearance at the detention center.
“Governor Sherrill’s visit to Delaney Hall is nothing more than a political stunt on Memorial Day when visitation is currently suspended due to riots outside the facility,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Yesterday, approximately 125 agitators surrounded Delaney Hall Detention Facility, many carrying anti-ICE signs and Antifa flags. They formed a human chain around entrances to the facility and set up barricades, blocking all entries and exits.”
The demonstration resumed on Monday with more aggressive tactics aimed at stopping vehicles and personnel. Protesters assembled a jerry-rigged obstruction of trash and other objects, turning a sidewalk into a choke point for anyone trying to get in or out. Scenes showed activists prying up paving blocks to strengthen the barricade and make passage difficult.
Video and on-scene reports captured the messy blockade of discarded items, furniture, and other junk the crowd used to stop movement. The makeshift fortifications served as both a physical and symbolic barrier between the facility and the public. Officials and some visitors found their access restricted by the crowd’s effort to seal off entryways.
Chants directed at federal employees highlighted the protest’s message, but not everyone matched their rhetoric with consistent behavior. Demonstrators shouted, “Why are you hiding your face?” even though many of the activists wore masks. That contrast undercut some of their public messaging and raised questions about the nature of the demonstration.
Sen. Kim tried to broker a path through the blockade, urging activists to allow agents to pass and assuring them that detainee transports would be handled without passengers present. He attempted to balance oversight responsibilities with the protesters’ demands, a move that drew criticism from officials who viewed the visit differently. His involvement underscored how partisan attention has made oversight visits flashpoints for confrontation.
Law enforcement reportedly used pepper spray and removed several agitators to restore access and safety around the facility. Officers acted after physical barriers and crowd behavior created unsafe conditions and impeded official operations. Those interventions triggered further complaints from protesters who said the response was heavy-handed.
Some footage appears to show that the confrontation impacted members of Congress on site. The scenes captured close-up moments of frustration, shouting, and at least one member appearing disoriented after the melee. Public reactions to those images split along partisan lines, with critics calling the visit reckless and supporters calling it necessary oversight.
This is not the first time the Newark facility has seen high-profile demonstrations. Last year, a notable incident led to criminal charges against a public official connected to a protest there. That history adds context for why the facility draws intense scrutiny and why authorities are wary of sustained disruptions.
All detainees are provided with 3 meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, and toiletries, “DHS said.
“Illegal aliens also have access to phones to communicate with their family members and lawyers,” the agency said. “Certified dieticians evaluate meals. In fact, ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens.”
An official DHS response emphasized routine care and operational standards at the facility, listing daily meals, hygiene items, and phone access for detainees. That statement pushed back against accusations about poor conditions and framed the protest as politically charged rather than a purely humanitarian intervention. The dispute over facts and optics shows how immigration enforcement remains a heated and divisive issue on the national stage.
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