UMVA has learned that a fierce showdown erupted Friday night outside a federal detention center, as organized rioters defied State Police orders to relocate to a designated “First Amendment zone.”
The confrontation escalated when the crowd, chanting their right to protest, refused to move despite a clear command over the PA system, igniting a brutal clash between law enforcement and demonstrators.
Troopers, some mounted on horseback, unleashed a barrage of riot control tactics—noise bombs, tear gas grenades, pepper spray, and riot shields—aimed at dispersing the determined mob.
Earlier that afternoon, police had already erected barriers to protect the zone, but the rioters commandeered them, turning the barricades into weapons against the officers.
Governor Mikie Sherrill, insisting that police were safeguarding the protesters from ICE, later warned that an ICE surge outside Delaney Hall posed a genuine threat to public safety.
She stated that protecting New Jerseyans was her top priority and that any escalation from ICE would be met with decisive action.
In a stark contrast, ICE officials expressed gratitude for the police presence, praising the partnership for restoring order and condemning any assault on law enforcement.
The Department of Homeland Security echoed this sentiment, highlighting the bravery of ICE officers who faced threats and violence from the crowd.
Rioters, well organized with a tent stocked in water bottles and supplies, claimed that migrants detained at the center were mistreated, while federal statements maintained that inmates were well-fed and often paid for on‑site work.
The night’s violence left vehicles shattered, many doused in pepper spray and tear gas, marking the seventh consecutive day of agitation outside the facility.
Counter‑protesters and pro‑ICE groups gathered the following morning, with police presence intensified to prevent another flare‑up.
