Democratic US Senator Andy Kim said he was pepper-sprayed by federal agents during a protest at the Delaney Hall immigration detention centre in Newark, New Jersey, on Monday. The incident occurred amid ongoing demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over conditions at the facility.
Video on social media showed Kim receiving aid from a volunteer who poured water into his eyes. Kim had joined New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy at the protest to speak with relatives of detainees. He told USA Today that after visiting the facility, he emerged to a 'standoff' between protesters and ICE agents, who had deployed an armoured vehicle as a barricade. Kim said he lined up in front of the vehicle to de-escalate, but ICE pushed through the crowd, using pepper balls and spray.
Detainees at Delaney Hall have reportedly been on hunger strike since Friday, alleging poor conditions including denial of medical care, rotten food, and broken air conditioning. Protesters have clashed with ICE officers over the weekend, with batons and pepper spray used during an attempt to transfer a detainee who organised the strike.
In a post on X, Kim described 'chaos inside and outside' the facility, calling it a 'failure' and demanding it be shut down. Meanwhile, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin denied there was a hunger strike, stating conditions were not 'sub-prime'.
Advocates claim some detainees have been held for 8 to 12 months. The facility, located in an industrial area, has drawn criticism from local clergy and migrant rights groups. Protests continued on Tuesday, with masked ICE officials moving vehicles in and out of the facility.
