New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin found themselves on the same page Saturday, following the governor's decision to deploy state police to manage escalating protests outside a federal immigration detention center in Newark.
The demonstrations at Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, have intensified in recent days, with clashes between protesters and federal officers drawing national attention. Sherrill, who was denied entry to the facility earlier this week, announced the creation of designated protest zones aimed at preventing further confrontations.
“My top priority is keeping New Jerseyans and our communities safe – and an increased ICE surge in the area outside of Delaney Hall is a threat to public safety,” Sherrill wrote on the social platform X Saturday morning. “As Americans, we have a right to protest – and we will continue to ensure New Jersey residents can peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights.”
The governor has repeatedly called for the closure of the 1,000-bed facility, which has been under scrutiny after detainees launched a series of strikes last week. “Today and going forward, I urge everyone who is protesting to do so peacefully in the safe areas, and work together to bring the temperature down,” Sherrill added. “We need to focus on advocating for better conditions for the detainees, for their families, and ultimately, for the closure of Delaney Hall.”
Earlier in the week, a DHS spokesperson dismissed Sherrill’s visit to the facility as “nothing more than a political stunt on Memorial Day when visitation is currently suspended due to riots outside in the facility.” But Mullin’s tone shifted Saturday, as he thanked Sherrill “for cooperating with us to help restore law and order” in his own post on X. “We support every American’s constitutional right to peacefully protest,” Mullin wrote. “No one has the right to RIOT and ASSAULT law enforcement. We hope to build on this partnership and work together to remove the worst of the worst from New Jersey communities.”
The rare bipartisan moment comes amid broader tensions over immigration enforcement. Former U.S. Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino added fuel to the fire Friday, telling federal officers to “give them hell and live in the moment!!” in a message of support to ICE agents at Delaney Hall. “ICE Agents at Delaney, hang in there,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, lawmakers on both sides have been weighing in. A recent article on lawmakers demanding answers on detainee conditions at the facility has amplified scrutiny. Mullin has also been vocal in criticizing Democratic senators over ICE incidents, as covered in his remarks blasting Schumer and other senators. The secretary has even floated plans to halt international flights in sanctuary cities following the Newark unrest.
The protests at Delaney Hall are part of a wider wave of demonstrations against immigration policies, with activists calling for better conditions for detainees and an end to the facility’s operations. Sherrill’s push for closure aligns with progressive advocacy, while Mullin’s focus remains on law enforcement and removing undocumented individuals deemed threats.
As both sides claim to support peaceful protest, the coming days will test whether this fragile cooperation holds or fractures under the weight of deeper political divides.
