Clashes have erupted between protesters and armed federal agents at the Delaney Hall parking lot in Newark since Memorial Day weekend.
For nearly a week, federal agents faced off with demonstrators protesting conditions inside the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark.
On May 29, 2026, federal agents agreed to withdraw from the site, allowing state officials to oversee the protests. This decision aims to restore order, as violence had escalated under the Department of Homeland Security’s oversight.
Sgt. First Class Charles Marchan of the New Jersey State Police stated that his agency negotiated with federal officials to vacate the area outside Delaney Hall. This move allows the state police to take control.
The change may bring calm to the area, where federal officers charged into a crowd, using force including chemical irritants. One officer beat a protester attempting to flee, resulting in three arrests.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin commented that withdrawing the federal officers was a triumph for his agency. He thanked Governor Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, who had previously refused state police assistance to ICE agents, emphasizing it as a win for law and order.
The agency claims that federal agents used necessary force to defend against what they described as rioters trying to obstruct law enforcement.
Governor Sherrill announced that state police would establish a protest zone outside Delaney Hall for demonstrators to gather.
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