Police in New Jersey used tear gas and moved to disperse demonstrators gathered outside an immigration detention facility in Newark as protests over alleged conditions inside the center intensified.Police push into the crowd to disperse people outside the Delaney Hall detention center on Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Newark, New Jersey. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)The confrontation took place at Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility that has been the focus of demonstrations for nearly a week. Protesters, activists and advocacy groups have accused the facility of poor treatment of detainees, while federal authorities and the center's operator have rejected those claims.According to The Mirror US, tensions escalated Friday as state police, ICE officers and protesters clashed outside the facility, prompting officials to intervene and establish a designated area for demonstrations.The latest unrest comes amid growing scrutiny of conditions at immigration detention centers and follows a series of protests that have already resulted in multiple arrests.Also Read: Texas police use tear gas on protesters demanding release of 5-year-old from detention centerAuthorities move to clear protest areaNew Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced Friday that state police would take control of the situation and create a separate barricaded area for demonstrators.However, some protesters reportedly refused to relocate and instead staged a sit-in outside the detention center. As authorities attempted to clear the area, reports emerged of officers using tear gas and batons to disperse crowds.In an update the following morning, Davenport said law enforcement had "temporarily cleared" the area surrounding Delaney Hall.New Jersey State Police Lt. Col. David Sierotowicz also said ICE officers agreed to step back while state police assumed responsibility for managing the protests.Governor calls for de-escalationSpeaking at a press conference, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill urged all sides to lower tensions as the demonstrations continued."It has grown unsafe, and that's completely unacceptable," Sherrill said. "We need to take this opportunity to lower the temperature."According to reports, more than a dozen people have been arrested since the protests began roughly a week ago.Also Read: Protests, tear gas, chaos in Minneapolis over another shooting by US federal agents. What is happening?Claims over detention center conditionsThe demonstrations have largely been driven by allegations regarding conditions inside Delaney Hall. Protesters and advocacy groups claim detainees have faced inadequate food, poor sanitation, limited healthcare access and barriers to legal assistance.Some activists have alleged that food served at the facility contained worms and that basic needs were not being adequately addressed.The Department of Homeland Security and GEO Group, the private contractor that operates Delaney Hall, have denied the accusations.While authorities say the area outside the detention center has been cleared for now, the dispute over conditions inside the facility continues, and further demonstrations could follow in the coming days.