Protesters and ICE Clash Outside Newark Detention Center

Protesters and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents clashed early Monday outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, after demonstrators tried to stop the transfer of detainee Martin Soto. Protesters alleged agents used pepper spray and batons. The Department of Homeland Security defended the operation and said officers dispersed the crowd and moved Soto to another facility.

Dozens of demonstrators gathered late Sunday after reports that Soto, who began a hunger and work strike on Friday, was about to be transferred. Protesters formed a blockade and attempted to obstruct a vehicle connected to the move.

DHS said that on May 24, 2026, about 125 “agitators” surrounded the facility, formed a human chain around entrances and set up barricades that blocked entries and exits. A DHS spokesperson said that around 4:30 p.m., the transfer was scheduled but protesters obstructed the vehicle’s path and struck it with unidentified objects, causing what the agency described as significant damage.

Later, DHS said ICE dispersed about 70 protesters, removed barricades and completed the transfer to the Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility. DHS also said visitation at Delaney Hall was suspended “out of an abundance of caution” to ensure the safety of staff, detainees and visitors.

Hunger strike centers on detention conditions

The protest was tied to a hunger and work strike that Soto launched on Friday and that, according to the article’s reporting, has support from about 300 detainees. The strike calls for the immediate release of elderly, young and medically vulnerable detainees and cites poor conditions and insufficient medical care at Delaney Hall.

Legal representatives for Soto had communicated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which reportedly said Soto would not be transferred because of a federal judge’s order barring out-of-state movement while his habeas petition proceeds. DHS, however, said he was transferred to another ICE detention facility.

Political leaders visit Delaney Hall

New Jersey Senator Andy Kim and Governor Mikie Sherrill visited the facility Monday morning to speak with detainees’ relatives and advocates, according to the article.

Authorities and advocates have offered sharply different accounts of the confrontation, and the dispute is likely to keep attention on conditions inside Delaney Hall and on how ICE manages transfers involving detainees engaged in protest actions.

What to watch next will be whether visitation remains suspended and how the court process surrounding Soto’s habeas petition intersects with any future transfer decisions.