Protests Continue at New Jersey ICE Facility After Curfew Lifted

Newark, New Jersey – Protests persisted Sunday outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark following the lifting of an overnight curfew that authorities had imposed amid escalating confrontations.

Tensions had risen over the weekend as demonstrators clashed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, pro-Trump counter-protesters, and local police officers deployed to prevent violence from intensifying. While the immediate scene had calmed by Sunday morning, a perimeter remained in place, staffed by New Jersey State Police and local law enforcement officials.

New Jersey’s Governor stated that the overnight curfew and a strict protected protest zone—extending approximately half a mile around the facility—were necessary measures after the situation escalated. The Governor noted that masked individuals had attacked barriers within the designated protest area and engaged in aggressive actions against New York and New Jersey State Police, endangering both peaceful demonstrators and officers.

“The situation got out of hand,” the Governor acknowledged, adding that out-of-state agitators appeared to have provoked much of the unrest. In response, state authorities moved quickly to implement protective barriers and coordinate security efforts.

The Governor outlined three primary objectives for the state’s intervention: protecting everyone’s First Amendment rights to protest peacefully; preventing ICE operations from expanding into surrounding communities and putting residents at risk; and ensuring that individuals detained at Delaney Hall are treated with dignity and in accordance with constitutional standards.

Additionally, the Governor reiterated calls for the closure of the privately operated facility and announced plans to pursue investigations into reports of inhumane conditions and an alleged hunger strike among detainees. According to the Governor, ICE officers have agreed to remain behind the facility’s gates as part of the de-escalation efforts.

It remains unclear when the overnight curfew restrictions will be fully rescinded, as authorities continue to monitor the situation. Both supporters and opponents of the detention center have gathered in the area in recent days, underscoring the deeply divided perspectives surrounding immigration enforcement policies.