Delaney Hall fight grows after new arrests

🚨Newark police arrested 7 more people during clashes outside Delaney Hall

🚨Protesters blocked entrances, damaged property and confronted vehicles

🚨Public defenders are seeking dismissal of charges against 40 people arrested earlier

NEWARK — Seven more people were arrested over the weekend as tensions flared again outside the Delaney Hall ICE detention center, where nightly confrontations between protesters and law enforcement continue to fuel one of New Jersey's most divisive political fights.

What began as a dispute over conditions inside the Newark detention center has expanded into a statewide political battle involving immigration enforcement and Gov. Mikie Sherrill's response to the unrest.

Newark police said six people — including two New Jersey teenagers — were charged after demonstrators blocked entrances to the facility and damaged property. A seventh person, a man from Seattle, was charged after police said he smashed vehicle windshields during the unrest.

Weekend protests escalated after dark

Newark police told NJ.com that around 70 protesters gathered outside Delaney Hall Saturday night. Officers ordered the crowd to disperse around 10:30 p.m., but roughly 25 people remained after 11 p.m.

While daytime demonstrations remained relatively calm, tensions escalated after dark.

Police said protesters placed barriers at facility entrances and repeatedly stood in front of vehicles entering and leaving Delaney Hall. Some demonstrators climbed onto vehicles while others were struck after falling into the roadway as vehicles continued moving.

On Sunday night, protesters chanted anti-ICE slogans in both English and Spanish outside the facility.

Court fight could become the next battleground

Legal challenges could become another front in the growing fight over Delaney Hall, whose owners are getting sued by the city of Newark and the state.

The state Public Defender's Office, meanwhile, is seeking dismissal of charges against 40 of the 61 people arrested during a major protest outside Delaney Hall on May 31.

Those protesters were charged with rioting and resisting arrest after violating a curfew that had been imposed around the facility.

Public Defender Jennifer Sellitti said the complaints relied on broad allegations and failed to specify what individual defendants actually did.

Andy Kim returns as legal challenges mount

U.S. Sen. Andy Kim returned to Delaney Hall over the weekend for his first visit since being caught in pepper spray during the Memorial Day clashes.

Kim said he was not allowed to speak directly with detainees but described seeing a woman inside the facility who appeared to be in significant distress.

He said several women attempted to get his attention during the visit and called for greater transparency about conditions inside the detention center.

The Department of Homeland Security has repeatedly defended conditions at Delaney Hall and insists operations will continue despite the protests.

Border czar Tom Homan told CBS that Delaney Hall is a well-run facility and dismissed criticism from activists and Democratic officials.

Delaney Hall has become an early test for Sherrill

The ongoing standoff has become an early challenge for Sherrill's administration.

State officials feared federal authorities were prepared to dramatically increase their presence around Delaney Hall after warnings from Trump administration officials about deploying additional tactical units near the facility.

Sherrill ultimately ordered State Police to take temporary control of the area, a move that drew praise from some moderates who viewed it as an effort to prevent violence but sharp criticism from progressive activists who accused the governor of helping suppress protesters.

The dispute has exposed growing divisions within New Jersey's Democratic coalition. Some activists who supported Sherrill's gubernatorial campaign have accused her of betraying their trust after State Police used horses and crowd-control tactics to clear demonstrators from roadways near the facility.