Key facts
- Anti-ICE activists used Signal chats to coordinate protests outside Delaney Hall in Newark, N.J.
- Approximately 100 well-funded groups with collective annual revenues of $850 million were involved in the protests.
- Over 80 people were arrested in connection with the protests.
- New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy stated outside agitators are escalating tensions at the Elizabeth Detention Center.
- Representative Mikie Sherrill stated out-of-state agitators and national extremist groups escalated tensions at Delaney Hall.
- Newark Mayor Ras Baraka imposed a nightly curfew around the Delaney Hall facility.
- Mayor Baraka is filing a lawsuit to shut down the Delaney Hall immigration detention center.
- Mayor Baraka announced the city will reduce police presence at Delaney Hall.
- Federal officials arrested Selah Dine Habib, an illegal immigrant from Mauritania, in Indiana.
- Habib allegedly used a fraudulent asylum claim based on homosexuality to enter the U.S. in 2023.
- Habib was employed as a correctional officer at the Jay County Jail in Indiana.
Protests and clashes have intensified outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, prompting a nightly curfew imposed by Mayor Ras Baraka. Governor Phil Murphy and Representative Mikie Sherrill have attributed the escalation of tensions to "outside agitators" and "national extremist groups," with Sherrill further alleging that immigration officials denied her access to the facility. These claims raise "serious questions" about the Department of Homeland Security's actions, particularly following a federal inspection that reportedly found the facility compliant with most standards, contradicting earlier reports of poor conditions. Mayor Baraka is actively seeking to shut down Delaney Hall through a lawsuit, citing health and safety concerns, and has announced plans to reduce the city's police presence at the center. He stated that Newark will not allocate taxpayer funds to safeguard the facility, which is operated by a private company. An investigation into the protests found that anti-ICE activists utilized Signal chats to coordinate demonstrations, involving a network of approximately 100 well-funded groups with collective annual revenues of $850 million. Over 80 people were arrested in connection with the protests, though a separate report mentioned at least 20 arrests. Family visitation at the Elizabeth Detention Center is set to resume, and restrictions outside Delaney Hall are expected to be lifted. In a separate development, federal officials arrested Selah Dine Habib, an illegal immigrant from Mauritania, in Indiana. Habib allegedly entered the U.S. in 2023 using a fraudulent asylum claim based on homosexuality, later marrying a woman and securing employment as a correctional officer at the Jay County Jail. Internal documents regarding conditions at New York City's 26 Federal Plaza also revealed ICE officers struggled with the facility's environment, contrary to claims made by the Trump administration.