New Jersey officials imposed a curfew around the Delaney Hall ICE detention center starting at midnight on Sunday. Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka stated that the curfew, effective from 9 PM to 6 AM, was necessary for public safety due to escalating tensions between protesters and law enforcement. Governor Mikie Sherrill later commented on the situation, indicating that some protesters engaged in aggressive actions against police, which she claimed undermined public safety efforts.
The curfew was enacted on the 10th day of a hunger and labor strike by approximately 300 detainees at Delaney Hall, who are demanding an in-person meeting with the governor, the release of all detainees, a review of their immigration cases, and an end to pressure from ICE agents. Governor Sherrill has not met with the strikers, and federal officials have denied her entry to the facility. Instead, she has coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to manage the situation. DHS officials have dismissed claims of a hunger strike and characterized the involvement of New Jersey officials as a political stunt. Reports indicate that ICE has responded to protests with force, including the use of chemical agents and other crowd control measures.
