New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has deployed State Police to manage escalating confrontations outside Newark’s Delaney Hall immigration detention center after days of violent clashes between demonstrators and federal immigration officers.
The governor announced the move following intensified incidents where protesters blocked roads, linked arms, and used trash cans and umbrellas as barriers. Federal immigration agents responded with pepper spray and batons during the standoffs. Sherrill stated that the situation had become “unsafe” and “completely unacceptable,” noting officials needed to “lower the temperature.” She emphasized the state would not allow ICE to exploit the unrest as a pretext for expanding operations in New Jersey.
On May 29, 2026, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche charged Brendan John Geier with allegedly kicking and biting ICE officers at Delaney Hall. The Justice Department warned that attacks on federal immigration personnel would result in criminal charges.
The State Police established designated protest zones and vehicle checkpoints around the facility to control traffic without altering operations inside the detention center. Attorney General Jennifer Davenport reiterated that violence—whether by or against protesters—is unacceptable. Demonstrators continue gathering near Delaney Hall, some carrying gas masks and setting up supplies including eye solution and paper towels after overnight standoffs with federal agents. The 1,000-bed facility, which reopened under the Trump administration, has become a focal point in national debates over immigration enforcement.