Federal authorities arrested two protesters outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Newark, according to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. The individuals face charges of assaulting, resisting, and impeding federal officers, including allegedly spraying law enforcement with an unknown chemical substance.
Mullin stated that assaulting and obstructing ICE law enforcement is a felony and warned that anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement regarding the arrests on the following morning.
The arrests occurred during a reported hunger and labor strike at the New Jersey immigration detention center, which DHS disputes, denying allegations of poor treatment of detainees. DHS stated that all detainees are provided with three meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, toiletries, and opportunities to communicate with family and lawyers. They also claimed that detainees receive comprehensive healthcare, including medical, dental, and mental health services.
Tensions have escalated between anti-ICE protesters and federal law enforcement, resulting in physical clashes. ICE officers have used pepper spray to manage the crowd, affecting several individuals, including Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ), who was among those pepper-sprayed.
Democratic lawmakers, including Kim and Governor Mikie Sherrill, were denied entry to the facility for an oversight visit on Memorial Day, raising concerns about transparency. Sherrill expressed her intention to continue seeking answers regarding the situation at the facility. Representative LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) has been vocal about the alleged conditions at Delaney Hall and is hosting a workshop to educate immigrants on their rights regarding immigration enforcement.