ICE Denies New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill From Entering the ICE Detention Facility
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, who has criticized the Trump administration over strict immigration policy, joined protests outside and an ICE detention center in Newark this week to support detainees who participated in a hunger strike. Sherrill was in touch with family members of detainees who complained about a lack of medical care and inadequate food quality.
New Jersey Gov. Sherrill Denied Entry Into ICE Detention Facility At Delaney Hall
Many protestors waved signs, banged on drums, and shouted, per The San Juan Daily Star, “Free them all!” Families and advocates have been urging the state of New Jersey to take action. Sherrill told the protestors that she had requested access to the facility but was denied. She said, per ABC 7 Eyewitness News NY, “We’ve been working with ICE to get into the facility. I was just denied. I was hoping and trying. We certainly will – and that’s what I’ve committed to doing, continuing to try.”
At one point, Sherrill comforted a crying relative and an upset child. Things took a turn for the worse after the governor left the scene. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers and protestors who blocked an entrance got into a tense standoff with each other. The agents fired pepper balls and spray at the protestors. Among those affected was Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J.
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Sherrill’s Clash With The Trump Administration
There have been protests nationwide resisting Trump’s immigration policies, and Sherrill has constantly clashed with the President’s administration. Sherrill and New Jersey’s Attorney General, Jennifer Davenport, were sued by the Trump administration over a state law that prohibits officers, including ICE agents, from wearing masks while on law-enforcement duty.
Federal judges have called out the Trump administration for not complying with immigration-related court orders, especially directives preventing migrants from being transferred out of the state. The privately-run 1,000-bed detention center has seen a surge for Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown since it reopened last year. Since agents have made massive arrests of migrants in homes, federal offices, and courthouses, the detention center has been filled.
Sherrill, other officials, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka went outside Delaney Hall on Monday to address concerns about the hunger strike, which began on Friday. Since Friday, immigration advocates have been protesting outside the facility. Some protestors shouted at Sherrill’s face for not showing up to the demonstrations sooner than she did. Rep. Rob Menendez arrived outside the center Sunday night and stayed until Monday morning, when he was finally allowed access.
Sherrill, joined by Kim and several members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation, met with protesters outside the gates after an unannounced oversight attempt. The Department of Homeland Security disputed the characterization of the New Jersey governor’s visit, calling it a political stunt and saying visitation was suspended because there were riots outside of the city. DHS later said Kim was allowed inside after contacting Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin; it did not confirm whether Sherrill or other lawmakers were granted access.
Immigration Advocates Say Pressure Will Continue
Families outside the facility told lawmakers of detainees who they say are not receiving medication for chronic conditions such as diabetes, and of students unable to take exams because they are being held near Kean University. As demonstrations continue, advocates say they will not back down, and lawmakers say they will keep pushing for oversight and answers about the treatment of detainees at the facility.
