Clashes Erupt Between Rioters and Police at Newark ICE Facility

In Newark, N.J., organized rioters challenged State Police orders to move to a designated ‘First Amendment zone’ on Friday night, sparking intense clashes. Authorities and rioters faced off despite Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s claims that law enforcement aimed to protect them from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. ‘For your security, we need you to relocate to the First Amendment zone,’ a police officer announced over a PA system. The crowd resisted, asserting, ‘We will not, I’m expressing my First Amendment right here.’

The confrontation unfolded at the Delaney Hall ICE facility, with rioters and police engaged in direct conflict. In response, state troopers, some mounted on horses, employed riot control measures such as noise bombs, tear gas grenades, pepper spray, and riot shields to disperse the crowd. Police had earlier erected barriers, which rioters repurposed to oppose law enforcement actions.

Gov. Sherrill emphasized safety as a priority, stating, ‘My top priority is keeping New Jerseyans and our communities safe – and an increased ICE surge in the area outside of Delaney Hall is a threat to public safety.’ She expressed a refusal to accept risks to lives involved. Rioters were reported to have damaged ICE vehicles as clashes continued.

New Jersey maintains its status as a ‘sanctuary state,’ with minimal cooperation between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement. Despite Gov. Sherrill’s view of ICE as a community threat, ICE officials expressed gratitude for police efforts in controlling the violence against officers. ‘Thank you, @NJSP for cooperating with us to restore law and order,’ ICE stated. The Department of Homeland Security echoed this sentiment, thanking local law enforcement for their support in safeguarding officers.

Rioters organized strategically, with a supply tent stocked with water bottles and other resources near the protest site. Despite claims of mistreatment at the detention center, DHS reported that detainees receive adequate care and payment for work performed. Among the detainees are individuals who have committed crimes in the U.S. in addition to illegal entry.

Efforts to manage the situation included ICE agents using pepper balls and state law enforcement closing in, leading to property damage and dispersal efforts with pepper spray and tear gas. The unrest on Friday marked the seventh consecutive day of protests outside the facility. The following day saw counter-protesters and pro-ICE groups gather, with an increased police presence.