Escalation: ICE Denies Sherrill Access to Delaney Hall

Gov. Mikie Sherrill was turned away at Newark’s Delaney Hall on Memorial Day after arriving about 10:30 a.m. She remained outside speaking with families after being refused entry. Hours earlier, a 1 a.m. clash left protesters doused with pepper spray and batons in use, and Sen. Andy Kim was hit with spray in the crowd.

By late afternoon agents in riot gear pushed back demonstrators who had linked arms to block the exits. Around 5 p.m. they fired rubber bullets and more spray as an armored vehicle tried to move out. Some in the crowd threw objects, and by nightfall others dragged concrete slabs and barricades to shut another entrance.

Families expecting visits were turned away after visitation was canceled. ICE threatened to transfer more than 100 detainees involved in the hunger strike to Louisiana and Texas, while federal officials denied any hunger strike or mistreatment and said access was suspended because protesters had surrounded the site. Sherrill said the refusal raised serious questions about what was being hidden and renewed her push to close the privately run, 1,000-bed facility, which is holding about 300 people.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources