NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Protesters were arrested outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark on Sunday night after the mayor imposed a curfew following a series of intense clashes between protesters and police.
In a statement, acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said that the protesters were given "numerous warnings" after 8:15 p.m. to disperse by 9 p.m.
"Many protesters complied with the curfew order. But a group of individuals who had come to the protest armed with helmets, shields, or gas masks deliberately refused to comply with repeated orders to leave the area and were arrested," Davenport said. "Their actions put the public at risk, and I am grateful to law enforcement for de-escalating the situation."
The curfew around Delaney Hall is in place between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. until further notice, Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement.
Police gather protesters to arrest them near the Delaney Hall detention center on May 31, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey.Andres Kudacki/Getty Images
The move came after another night of standoffs between law enforcement and demonstrators at the facility, as protesters could be seen in photographs and videos fighting over barricades as police used riot shields to push them back. A video posted on social media showed police on horseback marching into crowds attempting to break up groups of protesters.
The high-profile demonstrations at Delaney Hall began earlier this month after advocates said detainees inside launched a hunger strike over poor living conditions at the 1,000-bed facility, the latest hotbed of opposition over the federal government's immigration crackdown.
New Jersey state police on Friday relieved federal immigration enforcement agents who had been facing off against protesters at the facility for days.
In a statement Sunday morning, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said masked individuals attacked a barrier in a designated protest area set up by state police and were “throwing projectiles, utilizing the barriers as weapons, and lighting tires on fire in the street.”
“These actions put both peaceful protestors and law enforcement in danger,” Sherrill said, urging calm to focus on advocating for “better conditions for the detainees, for their families, and ultimately, for the closure of Delaney Hall.”
Sherrill also said that the federal government has reopened family visits at Delaney Hall starting Sunday.
Asked about visitations resuming, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security provided a statement that said “To be clear: Visitation was only suspended because of violent riots. Now that we have a secure perimeter, visitation can resume.”
1010 WINS contributed to this report.
