Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat, on Sunday declared a mandatory curfew around the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility, where protests and confrontations with law enforcement have escalated over the past week. The order, effective immediately, restricts pedestrian traffic on Doremus Avenue from midnight onward and enforces a nightly curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. within a half-mile radius of the center, until further notice.
Baraka said the measure was necessary to protect residents and maintain order. “To ensure the safety and well-being of all residents, a mandatory curfew for a half-mile area surrounding Delaney Hall is being implemented,” he stated, adding that the closure of Doremus Avenue to pedestrians would start at midnight.
Delaney Hall, a private prison contracted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has become a flashpoint for protests over detainee conditions. Demonstrators have gathered for days, leading to clashes with police. On Saturday, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy deployed state police to the scene after tensions boiled over. In a statement Sunday, Murphy described how “masked individuals at Delaney Hall attacked the barrier in the protected protest area and began aggressive and dangerous actions against Newark and New Jersey State Police, including throwing projectiles, utilizing the barriers as weapons, and lighting tires on fire in the street.”
Murphy emphasized that police were not in protective gear and had been on site since early morning to ensure both protesters and counter-protesters could safely exercise their rights. “These actions put both peaceful protestors and law enforcement in danger,” he added.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hailed the crackdown in a Sunday social media post, sharing photos of empty streets around the facility. “Together with our state and local law enforcement partners, we have SECURED the area around Delaney Hall,” DHS wrote. The agency warned that “ANYONE who attempts to obstruct law enforcement or disrupt our facility will face the FULL weight of the law. WE WON’T BACK DOWN.”
Murphy and fellow Democrats have been vocal critics of the 1,000-bed detention facility, calling for its closure. Last week, Murphy, along with several House and Senate Democrats, attempted to conduct oversight of Delaney Hall as protests swelled. Senator Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, was pepper-sprayed during the unrest on Monday. In a social media post, Kim detailed the incident: “Detainees protesting the lack of due process, the disgusting food and poor treatment while their families and advocates stood outside calling for help. Instead of engaging with me and others about the poor conditions, ICE sent in an armored vehicle and a line of armed agents that only poured gasoline on the fire.”
The curfew comes amid broader tensions over immigration enforcement in sanctuary cities. In a related development, Mullin Plans to Halt International Flights in Sanctuary Cities After Newark Protests, signaling potential federal retaliation against local jurisdictions that limit cooperation with ICE. Meanwhile, Sherrill and Mullin Align on Handling Newark ICE Protests Amid Tensions highlights a rare bipartisan consensus on maintaining order at the facility.
As the standoff continues, the curfew represents the latest effort to de-escalate a situation that has drawn national attention to conditions at Delaney Hall and the broader debate over immigration detention. Protesters have vowed to continue their demonstrations, while officials on both sides warn against further violence.
