Delaney Hall Hunger Strike Enters Day 5 — Protesters Clash with Masked ICE Agents Outside Newark Facility; 300+ Detainees Demand Release of Medically Vulnerable

Protests outside Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey reached their fifth day on May 26, 2026, with demonstrators from across New York and New Jersey clashing with masked federal agents wielding batons. Detainees inside the GEO Group-operated facility had launched a hunger and labor strike to protest spoiled food, lack of medical care, and inadequate conditions — demands signed by over 300 detainees in letters submitted to facility management. Attorneys representing striking detainees said individuals were demanding the immediate release of elderly, young, and medically vulnerable people who they argued had no reason to be detained. ICE agents at the facility included uniformed personnel in tactical gear, and multiple skirmishes were reported throughout the day. The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement calling the demonstrators 'rioters' and claimed federal agents 'used the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property.' Elected officials attempting to visit the facility reported being blocked from entering by ICE agents. The Delaney Hall facility, which opened in early 2025, holds approximately 1,000 detainees and has been the subject of multiple advocacy group investigations. The hunger and labor strike follows a pattern of similar actions at ICE facilities across the country in May 2026, as detention populations continue to rise toward the 73,000+ mark and conditions in rapidly expanded facilities face scrutiny from inspectors and advocates.