Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) ordered the New Jersey State Police to establish a “protest zone” outside a Newark immigration detention center on Friday in an attempt to prevent violent clashes between anti-ICE protesters and federal officers from breaking out over the weekend.The governor said the “peaceful, protected” area outside Delaney Hall will be monitored by New Jersey law enforcement, adding that she is not willing to “give ICE the pretext to expand operations in our state.”
“We’ve seen increasing violence, arrests, and pepper spray at Delaney Hall as well as public threats from the Trump administration, and we’ve seen the risk to public safety rising outside Delaney Hall,” Sherrill told reporters during a press conference at a New Jersey State Police office. “It has grown unsafe, and that is completely unacceptable.”
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, the Department of Homeland Security thanked Sherrill for allowing state police to cooperate with federal authorities after she previously declined to do so.
“This is a win for law and order,” Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said. “After days of Governor Sherrill REFUSING to allow State Police to assist ICE law enforcement against violent anti-ICE rioters, she is now allowing the New Jersey State Police to cooperate with us. Thank you, Governor.
