President Donald Trump has accused protesters outside New Jersey’s Delaney Hall ICE detention facility of being “paid” agitators as tensions exploded during another chaotic night of demonstrations in Newark.
The protests intensified after reports of a growing detainee hunger strike inside the federal immigration center, with activists accusing ICE of overcrowding, poor food conditions, and lack of medical care. Demonstrators clashed with federal agents outside the facility, where videos showed barricades, pepper spray deployments, arrests, and protesters blocking trucks from entering the compound.
Trump dismissed the demonstrations as politically motivated, saying many protesters were “fake” and being funded to create unrest around the detention center. Homeland Security officials also defended ICE operations and denied claims of widespread abuse inside the facility.
Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers and immigrant-rights activists say the situation inside Delaney Hall is becoming dangerous. Protesters claim detainees are refusing meals and labor assignments while demanding faster immigration hearings and improved treatment. Several New Jersey politicians have called for federal investigations into conditions at the site.
Federal authorities confirmed multiple arrests after demonstrators allegedly blocked access routes and confronted ICE officers during the latest standoff. Protest groups say they will continue demonstrations until detainees are released or conditions improve