NJ governor says outsiders fueled Delaney Hall chaos — and warns worse could come

⚠️ Governor says 5 of 6 people arrested by State Police were from outside New Jersey

🚔 State Police say protesters grabbed fireworks, rocks and gas masks after dispersal orders

🔴 Sherrill blames federal immigration tactics for escalating tensions outside Delaney Hall

NEWARK — Gov. Mikie Sherrill is blaming out-of-state agitators and provocations by ICE and the Trump administration for the chaos outside Delaney Hall, which culminated in a violent clash between protesters, counter-protesters and state law enforcement.

Speaking Saturday afternoon in Newark, Sherrill defended New Jersey State Police after Friday night's crowd-control operation and accused federal immigration officials of creating conditions that have steadily inflamed tensions around the controversial for-profit detention center.

The governor's remarks came less than 24 hours after State Police moved in to clear protesters from the area surrounding Delaney Hall, just hours after Sherrill announced a designated protest zone intended to prevent further clashes.

Sherrill has taken heat from commentators on the left for allowing the State Police to clear out demonstrators, using chemical irritants to do so, but Sherril repeated several times that she took the action only because she fears what ICE or the feds would do if they surged their forces.

"American citizens have been killed, including a mom who had just dropped her child off at school," she said, referencing Renee Nicole Good, who was shot and killed in 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."

During the week, the Homeland Security director threatened to bring Newark Liberty International Airport to a halt as a result of the Delaney Hall protests, a statement Sherrill referenced Saturday.

Sherrill points finger at outsiders

The governor said the majority of people arrested by State Police were not New Jersey residents.

"Five of the six people arrested last night by State Police were from outside New Jersey," Sherrill said. "Some national extremist groups have become involved in the protests here today."

She warned people traveling to Newark looking for confrontation to stay away.

"To the people coming from out of state to create chaos and dangerous situations, you should not be here. You are not helping the people detained at Delaney Hall, you're not helping detainee families, and you're certainly not keeping New Jersey safe."

The protest site has also drawn supporters of ICE and of the Trump administration, who faced off with protesters on Saturday, with barricades between each side.

The Rev. Steffie Bartley, a regional leader with the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network, a civil rights group that has been involved in protesting conditions at Delaney Hall, said the situation at the protest site was "night and day," because "the people who are there during the day are totally different than the people who are there in the evening."

During the news conference, he urged all demonstrators to protest peacefully during reasonable locations and hours.

About a half dozen people had been arrested during the week, including Brendan John Geier, 26, of Madison, who was charged Thursday with assaulting federal officers and causing bodily injury by biting an officer.

State Police describe escalating threats

State Police Lt. Col. David Sierotowicz said troopers gave multiple warnings before moving into the crowd.

Speaking at the news conference, he said dispersal announcements were issued 15 minutes, 10 minutes and 5 minutes before officers acted.

Sierotowicz said agitators surrounded a marked law enforcement vehicle and threatened personnel.

After the warnings, State Police said some demonstrators were seen retrieving face coverings, gas masks, fireworks, rocks and other projectiles from a nearby tent area.

The Public Safety Response Team then moved in to create a secure corridor for vehicles leaving the detention facility.

Sierotowicz said that officers were not punching protesters and that no significant injuries were reported, calling the chemical irritants a "path of least resistance."

Governor says focus should be on detainees

Sherrill argued that the confrontation outside the facility is distracting from concerns about conditions inside Delaney Hall.

The governor renewed demands that the Department of Homeland Security restore family visitation, provide adequate medical care, allow detainees meaningful opportunities to review their cases and stop pressuring migrants to sign deportation paperwork.

"We can't let what's happening outside Delaney Hall take us away from that mission," Sherrill said.

The governor also repeated her warning that she will not allow escalating confrontations to become a justification for broader immigration enforcement operations in New Jersey.

Despite Friday night's clashes, demonstrations continued Saturday under heavy police presence, with State Police intelligence teams monitoring activity and watching for additional groups arriving from outside New Jersey.