Protests outside Newark’s Delaney Hall immigration detention facility turned chaotic Monday when federal agents fired pepper balls into the crowd, exposing U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., to pepper spray. Kim said afterward the scene was “sad,” as the fight over c
For hours. the protest outside Newark’s Delaney Hall detention facility had the familiar rhythm of a pressure campaign—demonstrations. labor actions. and hunger strikes that have continued for weeks. Monday’s scene broke that pattern when federal agents fired pepper balls into the crowd. leaving chaos in the street and U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., caught in the middle.
Kim later appeared in a video with his eyes flushed by “medics” after the exposure during the clash at the entrance to Delaney Hall. In a statement to NJ.com afterward. Kim described what he saw in blunt terms: “What we saw here is unfortunately just what we see all over the country. ” adding. “It’s sad. it’s a sad day.”.
The clash underscored how quickly a protest over immigration detention can turn into a fight over legitimacy—over who controls the space, and what happens when officers decide the crowd has to move.
Delaney Hall has become a central stage for that battle. The privately run, 1,000-bed ICE facility is under sustained scrutiny after months of allegations about conditions inside. Protesters and politicians have been demanding greater oversight. arguing the site’s operations don’t meet basic standards for detainees’ health and safety.
At the center of the latest pressure is a hunger and labor strike that began last week, with roughly 300 detainees participating. The complaints are stark: allegations include overcrowding, spoiled food, and poor living conditions.
Selenia Destefani. a managing attorney and CEO of Nova Law Group. which represents multiple people at the facility. said. “The conditions are brutal. ” describing detainees who “just sleep on the floor. ” rooms that are overcrowded. cold showers. “no food. ” and cells “extremely cold” with “no blankets.” She also said attorneys with the firm have raised concerns that detainees with medical conditions aren’t receiving the care and medication they need.
Kim and other New Jersey Democrats spent the weekend touring the facility after learning about the strike. U.S. Sen. Frank Pallone said in a social media post after the visit, “The conditions are absolutely outrageous,” writing that the place “needs to be closed down.”
In a post thread, Kim described what he saw during the tour, including seeing a “carton with the milk inside congealed solid.” He also said he spoke with a mother who told him she was allowed only limited time with her four-month-old child.
The dispute didn’t stay inside the gates. In response to the allegations, the Department of Homeland Security rejected the accounts and defended conditions at Delaney Hall. DHS said. “All detainees are provided with 3 meals a day. clean water. clothing. bedding. showers. soap. and toiletries.” The department also said. “Certified dieticians evaluate meals. ” and added that “ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens.”.
DHS further stated that detainees receive comprehensive medical care.
Those denials collide with the fact that the protests themselves have already produced arrests and federal court battles tied to Delaney Hall.
In May, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., were arrested during a protest outside Delaney Hall after demonstrations escalated. Trespassing charges against Baraka were later dropped. McIver was later indicted by the Department of Justice on charges of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer. which she has denied. She is scheduled to appear before a judge on June 23 as she appeals the case. and if convicted. faces up to 17 years in prison.
The facility’s history adds another layer to the conflict. Delaney Hall had been closed since 2017 before the Trump administration awarded GEO Group a 15-year, $1 billion contract to reopen the facility in February 2025.
All of these pieces—pepper balls in a crowded street, hunger strikes inside, and DHS insisting conditions meet higher standards than many U.S. prisons—have turned Delaney Hall into a national flashpoint, where every claim about care and custody carries the weight of a confrontation outside the door.
Andy Kim pepper spray Delaney Hall ICE detention facility Newark GEO Group hunger strike labor strike Department of Homeland Security Frank Pallone LaMonica McIver Ras Baraka protests immigration detention New Jersey politics federal agents