Six Charged After Anti-ICE Protest Outside Atlantic City Police Headquarters

A protest outside Atlantic City, New Jersey police headquarters on Saturday, September 12, 2026 grew out of a September 9 dispute in which an Atlantic City police officer pulled over a vehicle driven by Cristian Moreno-Rodriguez, founder of the community group El Pueblo Unido, as he followed vehicles the group believed were ICE transporting a detained community member toward a Newark-area detention facility. Roughly 100 demonstrators gathered September 12 chanting against 'the kidnappings of our community' and alleged local police cooperation with ICE; the protest escalated when demonstrators blocked access to the Public Safety Building. Police charged or issued complaints against six people: Moreno-Rodriguez (obstruction of justice), Keli Smith (obstruction of justice and resisting arrest), Diana Chaparro (simple assault), Jose Salazar (simple assault and illegal possession of a chemical device), Anthony Diaz (obstruction of justice), and Devon Barber (simple assault). Atlantic City Police Chief James Sarkos denied his department assisted ICE and released surveillance footage of the September 9 stop, saying the officer had observed dangerous driving.