Immigration Protest Charges
Four Charged with Assaulting Officers at NJ Immigration Protest
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Four people have been charged with assaulting federal law enforcement officers during a protest outside Delaney Hall, an immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, according to DHS. The Department of Homeland Security labeled the demonstrators "rioters" and said at least two officers suffered minor injuries during the clash. The identities of the four suspects were not released.
The arrests are part of a broader crackdown on protests that have erupted since President Donald Trump's administration intensified immigration enforcement. Delaney Hall, a private facility with capacity for roughly 450 to 500 detainees, has been a flashpoint for anti-ICE activism in New Jersey.
Four Charged Under Federal Assault Law at Newark Facility
The four suspects face charges under 18 U.S.C. § 111 — assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers — a charge that carries a maximum sentence of eight years in prison, according to Fox News. DHS officials said protesters used "smoke bombs, projectiles, and physical force" to push past security perimeters at the facility.
Federal Protective Service officers and DHS personnel were on site when the confrontation broke out, WLOS reported. The decision to pursue federal charges rather than state charges was seen as a strategic move to ensure stiffer penalties and send a warning to other protesters.
Ongoing Protests Rooted in Trump Immigration Crackdown
Demonstrations outside Delaney Hall have continued since the Trump administration launched an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign. Activists, including groups like Movimiento Cosecha NJ, have held regular protests outside the facility, citing concerns about detention conditions and ICE's use of private contractors, according to KOMO News.
Delaney Hall is operated by Education and Health Centers of America, a private company. Critics have called the facility part of a "prison-for-profit" model. ICE previously spent roughly $150 million per year on detention contracts in northern New Jersey before a 2021 state law banned new ICE detention agreements.
Activists and Officials Clash Over Who Started the Violence
DHS framed the incident as a coordinated riot. Activists pushed back hard. Organizers circulated video on social media they said showed officers moving aggressively first. One of the four charges involved a defendant accused of holding a megaphone too close to an officer's ear — a detail that drew sharp criticism from civil liberties advocates, according to News 3 Las Vegas.
Former U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito drew a clear line between speech and violence. "While we respect the right of all citizens to peacefully protest, we will not tolerate acts of violence against law enforcement officers who are performing their duties," he said. Activist groups called the federal charges an attempt to silence dissent.
New Jersey Moved to Cut Ties With ICE After Unrest
The clashes at Delaney Hall and other New Jersey detention sites helped push state lawmakers to act. In August 2021, Governor Phil Murphy signed Assembly Bill A5207, which bars New Jersey state and local agencies — and private facilities — from signing or renewing contracts with ICE, according to ABC 6.
The law had an unintended consequence. After New Jersey cut ICE ties, the agency began moving detainees to facilities in Georgia and Florida. Immigration advocates noted that the transfers made it much harder for families and lawyers in New Jersey to visit detainees, according to Local 12.
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