NJ governor calls for calm after clashes at immigration detention facility

The governor has called for a de-escalation as demonstrations continue.

The mayor of Newark has ordered a mandatory curfew around the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility after protesters clashed with New Jersey State Police officers there for a second night.

In a statement, Mayor Ras Baraka cited the "escalating situation" and "the increasing need for police intervention" in ordering the curfew for the half-mile around Delaney Hall, starting at 12 a.m. Sunday and remaining in effect nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

"Multiple individuals have already been arrested and found in possession of weapons, underscoring the seriousness of the threat," he said in the statement.

Following days of protests, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill ordered state police to set up a perimeter outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainment center.

At a press briefing earlier, Sherrill told reporters Saturday that six people were arrested during Friday night, where tear gas was used and some officers were on horses to disperse the crowd.

The governor defended her decision to bring in state law enforcement to the scene.

She called on protesters, who have been challenging the allegedly poor conditions at the Newark detainment center, to "turn the temperature down," and not give ICE a reason to "exacerbate the situation," citing incidents in other cities such as Minneapolis.

"I refuse to let that happen in New Jersey. I will not give ICE a pretext to expand operations at Delaney Hall or across our state. I will not put lives at risk," she said at a news conference.

During Saturday morning's demonstrations, a handful of pro-ICE demonstrators arrived and called out.

A pro-ICE crowd, which was dwarfed by the Delaney Hall protesters, arrived with signs, American flags and other paraphernalia supporting the federal agency and its immigration enforcement crackdown.

The larger group has been protesting outside the facility since May 22, calling out the alleged poor conditions inside Delaney Hall.

Activists and Democratic leaders have alleged that the 300 inmates inside the ICE facility are not being properly fed, not receiving medical care and are living in poorly maintained quarters.

The Department of Homeland Security has denied the allegations along with reports that detainees are staging a hunger strike in protest.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has repeatedly condemned the protests.

"Anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Law and order will prevail," he said in an X post Friday.

Protesters have been c