Protests outside a 1,000-bed immigration detention center in Newark, N.J., escalated into calshes this week, prompting New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill to order state police to the scene. At least six demonstrators were arrested Wednesday night amid confrontations where federal officers used pepper spray and batons, according to reports. The unrest erupted after detainees at Delaney Hall launched a hunger strike to protest poor living conditions, with supporters blocking facility entrances in a human chain.

How a hunger strike at the 1,000-bed Delaney Hall ignited street protests

According to the source report, the Newark protests began last Friday when immigrant advocates revealed that detainees had started a hunger strike over conditions inside the facility, which opened in May 2025. Demonstrators quickly formed a human chain using trash cans and umbrellas as makeshift barriers, attempting to block vehicles and people from entering or leaving. The response from U.S... Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers—who donned helmets and tactical vests—included dispersing crowds with pepper spray and batons, the report states. This escalation turned a peaceful demonstration into a volatile standoff, drawing national attention to the privately run detention center.

Governor Sherrill's state police deployment: A line between safety and 'pretext'

Governor Mikie Sherrill announced she is sending New Jersey state police to take over public safety responsibilities outside Delaney Hall, moving ICE officers away from the front line. Sherrill emphasized in the report that she did not want to give ICE “pretext” to expand operations in the state by letting the situation spiral out of control—a comment that reflects broader tensions between state and federal immigration enforcement . She also noted she did not want American citizens to lose their lives, as has occurred in other states. The state police will establish protest zones and vehicle checkpoints to regulate traffic and assure safe passage, according to the article.

Retaliation allegations: What detainees' families claim about pepper spray and force

Families of detainees and their supporters have told reporters that their loved ones have been subjected to pepper spray and physical force in retaliation for the hunger strike and the ongoing protests outside. These allegations, while unverified, add a layer of urgency to the standoff. The source did not include comment from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or the GEO Group, the private firm contracted to run Delaney Hall; both did not respond to emails seeking comment. This silence leaves open the question of whether official protocols are being followed inside the facility.

GEO Group's silence and the unanswered question of conditions inside Delaney Hall

Neither the GEO Group—the private operator of the 1,000-bed center—nor the Department of Homeland Security have responded to requests for comment, according to the report. This lack of official response leaves key questions unanswered: Are detainees' complaints of poor living conditions accurate? What prompted the hunger strike, and what steps are being taken to address it? The absence of transparency from the contractor and federal agency fuels skepticism among advocates and underscores the broader debate about the oversight of private immigration detention facilities across the United States.