The Mayor of Newark has instituted an indefinite nightly curfew around the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in New Jersey after several days of violent confrontations between pro-immigration demonstrators and law enforcement officials. This emergency order, announced by Mayor Ras Baraka, restricts movement from 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM within a half-mile radius of the facility.
The decision follows growing public concern about the welfare of detainees at the 1,000-bed center, who reportedly began a hunger strike in May to protest substandard living conditions. Legal representatives disclosed that detainees were being served expired food and denied necessary medical treatment, fueling tensions inside the facility.
Delaney Hall has become a focal point in the contentious national debate over immigration policies under President Donald Trump’s administration. The situation escalated further when New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and a group of state lawmakers were denied entry during an oversight visit last week. The federal Department of Homeland Security accused these officials of conducting a “smear” campaign against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Over the weekend, the unrest intensified, prompting the mayor’s intervention. Governor Sherrill reported that masked protesters attacked police barricades, set tires ablaze in the streets, and hurled physical barriers at law enforcement officers. While condemning the violence for endangering both peaceful demonstrators and police, she called for calm and urged protesters to concentrate on advocating for improved conditions for detainees and their families. She reiterated her ultimate objective of shutting down Delaney Hall entirely.
Politically, Governor Sherrill emphasized that New Jersey opposes hosting ICE operations in any capacity. Meanwhile, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson affirmed that federal activities at the detention center would continue as usual despite the local disturbances.
