Tear gas, clashes and curfew: Why are protests happening at Newark's Delaney Hall ICE detention center

The Newark mayor has imposed a curfew around an immigration detention center in New Jersey after a series of intense clashes between protesters and police. The curfew around Delaney Hall will be in place between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. until further notice, Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement. This comes after reports of intense clashes between security officials including ICE agents and protesters.

Demonstrations have been taking place at Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility for nearly a week. Protesters have accused the facility of poor treatment of detainees, while federal authorities and the center's operator have rejected those claims. Protesters said that detainees inside launched a hunger strike over poor living conditions at the 1,000-bed facility. Since the protest began, tensions have risen with clashes being reported on Sunday.

As the protest intensified, police in used tear gas and moved to disperse demonstrators gathered outside the detention facility. A video on social media showed police on horseback marching into crowds attempting to break up groups of protesters. New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced Friday that state police would take control of the situation and create a separate barricaded area for demonstrators. Speaking at a press conference, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill urged all sides to lower tensions as the demonstrations continued. More than a dozen people have been arrested since the protests began, reports claimed.

The Department of Homeland Security and GEO Group, the private contractor that operates Delaney Hall, have denied the accusations. Marwayne Mullin, Trump’s new DHS secretary has also maintained that the facility houses violent criminals. He refuted the claims of hunger strike and argued the backlash has "nothing to do with the conditions at the facility." DHS head also said that the ICE facility included three meals a day, clean water, clothing and other resources. Mullin added, "They can go back to their country and get whatever food they want." Authorities on Monday said that the area outside the detention center has been cleared for now

It was the first ICE center to open under the second Trump administration. The GEO Group, which owns the facility, was awarded a 15-year contract by ICE to provide "support services" at Delaney Hall. It estimated the contract value at around $1 billion. Axios reported that the facility has also seen a controversy when Sen. Andy Kim alleged that he was hit with pepper ball spray at the facility.

The latest tension highlights similar unrest seen at immigration sites across the United States under Trump's second term. Protests have taken place in Minnesota, California, Chicago, etc.