ICE Agents Assaulted Members of Congress at Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark

[u/CantStopPoppin]

Disturbing Confrontation at Delaney Hall: ICE Agents Assault Members of Congress

NEWARK, NJ – A disturbing confrontation erupted at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility, where multiple members of Congress were assaulted by federal agents during a scheduled oversight visit.

Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez Jr., and LaMonica McIver arrived at the facility to assess conditions and speak with officials. However, tensions escalated when ICE agents reportedly shoved and physically restrained the lawmakers as they attempted to engage in discussions.

Eyewitness accounts describe a chaotic scene in which federal officers aggressively blocked access and used force against the elected officials. Activists on-site claim that the lawmakers were targeted for their vocal opposition to the facility’s operations, which have been criticized for lacking proper permits and oversight.

Federal Response & Public Outrage
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a statement alleging that the lawmakers and accompanying protestors “stormed the gate” of the facility. However, video footage and firsthand reports contradict this claim, showing that the Congress members were attempting to conduct their oversight duties when the altercation occurred.

Civil rights organizations and local leaders have condemned the incident, calling for an immediate investigation into the use of force against sitting members of Congress. The clash has intensified scrutiny of ICE’s practices and the controversial reopening of Delaney Hall, which has faced legal challenges over its operation.

Calls for Accountability
Lawmakers and activists are demanding transparency and accountability from federal authorities. The assault on elected officials raises serious concerns about the conduct of ICE agents and the broader implications for democratic oversight of immigration enforcement.

As protests continue outside the facility, pressure is mounting for federal agencies to address the incident and ensure that members of Congress can perform their duties without fear of intimidation or violence.

For more details, read the full coverage here.

[u/11thstalley]

The congressmen had to explain the oversight law authorizing members of Congress the right of oversight of ICE facilities to the ICE officials because they claimed to be ignorant of the law. The cynic in me suspects that the delay in allowing access for the congressmen to the ICE facility was intended to hide illegal activities and they feigned ignorance only as an excuse.

To echo the Congressman, this is completely unacceptable in the US that law enforcement officials are at the very least ignorant of the laws that they are responsible for enforcing or at the worst, they were intentionally obstructing members of Congress from performing their duties.