The standoff outside the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark turned chaotic, with nightly clashes between federal agents and protesters who physically attacked officers and hurled threats. Federal officials describe assaults, arrests and threats to agents’ families while criticizing state leadership for blocking a stronger law enforcement response. The situation began over detainee complaints and has drawn lawmakers and intense public scrutiny.
Rioters gathered for a sixth consecutive night and the scene escalated into hand-to-hand confrontations. Agents say some protesters bit, kicked and punched law enforcement officers while others tried to shield themselves with umbrellas and gas masks. Officers pushed back and used pepper spray to clear parts of the crowd.
Photos and videos from the scene showed people rinsing their eyes after exposure to chemical irritants and officers retreating through a swarm of demonstrators. The crowd chanted “F— ICE” as they boxed in vehicles and blocked access to the facility. Authorities reported multiple arrests as tensions flared into open violence.
“On the evening of May 28th, approximately 100 anti-ICE rioters gathered around the Delaney Hall ICE facility. Rioters bit, kicked, and punched law enforcement officers,” DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said. He also said, “Governor Sherrill refused to allow state police to assist our officers,” and warned that “Assaulting and obstructing ICE law enforcement is a crime and felony. Throughout the night, nine rioters were arrested. Anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Mullin’s statements kept coming sharp and direct: “Law and order will prevail,” he added. He accused state officials of keeping state police on the sidelines even as objects flew and officers were attacked. From a Republican viewpoint, the picture is clear: federal agents were doing their duty and were hamstrung by local politics during a dangerous incident.
The protests began after detainees sent an open letter alleging poor medical care, insufficient food and lack of due process, claims the department disputed. “The facts are all detainees are provided with three meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, and toiletries. Illegal aliens also have access to phones to communicate with their family members and lawyers,” the department said. Still, those allegations lit the fuse for large, sustained demonstrations.
High-profile lawmakers showed up at the site and their presence only intensified the optics of the standoff. New Jersey and New York Democrats visited and joined the crowd at various points, which some officials say emboldened agitators. Critics argue that political theater should not come at the expense of officer safety and lawful detention operations.
Federal authorities announced they are tracking people who made threats against agents, calling some of the comments criminal. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in an interview that an agitator who told an ICE agent, “Your children, your wife, all dead. I have your face motherf—–, you’re dead,” committed a federal crime by doing so. He added, “Think about how disgusting this individual is, threatening his family and his children with death. What is this man doing? He’s just doing his job standing there,” and vowed, “I promise you, we will find him and when we find him we will arrest him.”
Local policing choices drew criticism from federal leaders who expected coordinated support that did not materialize. Officials reported that calls to local and state police went unanswered and one squad car was briefly seen driving by the chaos without engaging. That absence fed a narrative that politics interfered with a basic public safety response.
Governor Mikie Sherrill pushed back, blaming ICE for the violence and vowing continued support for protesters while describing demonstrations as peaceful. The state said it conducted a limited health inspection of part of the facility amid the controversy. For many observers on the right, that stance appears to prioritize political signaling over backing law enforcement facing real threats.
The arrests and ongoing investigations signal that federal authorities are not letting threats go unanswered and will pursue prosecutions. The clash spotlights broader tensions over detention policy, public safety and how elected officials choose to respond when law enforcement faces open hostility. The scene in Newark is a raw reminder that policy fights can become volatile on the ground and demand clear, decisive leadership in the name of order.
