US Senator Andy Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey, said he was pepper-sprayed by federal agents during a protest outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention centre in Newark on Monday. The incident occurred amid ongoing demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over conditions at the facility.
Kim had visited the centre to inspect conditions and speak with relatives of detainees. He described emerging to a 'standoff' between protesters and ICE agents, who had deployed an armoured vehicle as a barricade. He said he tried to de-escalate the situation by lining up in front of the vehicle, but agents pushed through the crowd, using pepper balls and spray.
Video on social media showed Kim receiving aid from a volunteer who poured water into his eyes. In a statement, Kim called the incident 'shameful' and blamed the administration for failures at Delaney Hall, demanding its closure. Protests have been ongoing since Friday, with allegations of rotten food, denied medical care, and broken air conditioning.
Detainees released a letter on Tuesday claiming a hunger strike and work strike, demanding a meeting with Governor Phil Murphy. However, the Department of Homeland Security denied there was a hunger strike or substandard conditions. The facility, surrounded by industrial sites, has been the focus of migrant rights groups who claim detainees have been held for up to 12 months.
Tensions escalated over the weekend when ICE attempted to transfer a detainee who had organised the hunger strike, leading to clashes with batons and pepper spray. On Tuesday, masked ICE officials cleared paths for vehicles entering and leaving the facility.
