N.J. Gov. Mikie Sherrill, officials provide update on Delaney Hall protests

Ajouté : 2026-06-01

[00:00:01]This is breaking news.

[00:00:04]>> Can you move over?

[00:00:06]>> Great.

[00:00:07]Thank you so much to Attorney General Davenport, Superintendent Hangemule, Lieutenant Colonel Serodowitz, Reverend Bartley.

[00:00:15]I want to give everyone an update on the situation at Delaney Hall in Newark. As I said yesterday, my focus is on protecting people's right to protest peacefully and ensuring everyone's safety. Here in New Jersey, we can and we must do both.

[00:00:32]We know what ICE has done in other states. We know about the hundreds of injuries caused. We know the fear they've caused in communities across the nation, and we know American citizens have been killed, including a mom who had just dropped her child off at school. I refuse to let that happen in New Jersey. I will not give ICE a pretext to expand operations at Delaney Hall or across our state. I will not put lives at risk. I'm grateful to the vast majority of protesters who have assembled peacefully and raised their voices about Delaney Hall's conditions.

[00:01:09]That's exactly where our focus needs to be right now, advocating for better conditions for those inside the facility. We can't let what's happening outside Delaney Hall take us away from that mission. Yesterday, New Jersey law enforcement established a peaceful protected protest zone in the area outside Delaney Hall. In the evening, the New Jersey State Police Public Safety Response Team acted to secure the area. We did not make this decision lightly.

[00:01:40]It was absolutely necessary to avoid escalation from ICE.

[00:01:45]Let me be clear. ICE engagement creates an incredibly dangerous situation. It makes the situation worse, and I refuse to back down in fighting the Trump administration and the threats they've made. We know that people from outside the state have been interfering in the protest and escalating them. Five of the six people arrested last night by state police were from outside New Jersey. And some national extremist groups have become involved in the process here today. To the people coming from out of state to create chaos and dangerous situations, you should not be here.

[00:02:20]You are not helping the people detained at Delaney Hall. You're not helping detainee families and you're certainly not keeping New Jersey safe. Today and going forward, I urge those protesting outside of Delaney Hall to bring the temperature down so we can focus on the detainees and their families. So comply with the lawful orders from local and state law enforcement and let advocates, faith leaders, and members of this community continue their work.

[00:02:50]Here in America, you have a right to protest and a duty to do so peacefully.

[00:02:55]The work doesn't stop here. I'm going to keep working with our federal delegation to demand answers. I'm going to keep using every tool at my disposal to get full access to Delaney Hall. And I'm going to keep working for better conditions inside of this facility until it's closed for good. So today I'm calling on the Department of Homeland Security to do the following. Restore visitation for families. Provide appropriate care and medical for all detainees, especially the most vulnerable. Give detainees a meaningful chance to review their cases. Stop pressuring them into signing deportation documents. Here in the United States of America, we can and we must do better.

[00:03:39]As governor, I swore an oath to the Constitution of New Jersey to promote peace, prosperity, and the lawful rights of everyone in our state. I'm going to uphold that oath and now I'll turn it over to the Attorney General, who will share more.

[00:03:55]>> Thank you, Governor.

[00:03:56]Our message today is simple.

[00:03:59]We are here to protect our residents.

[00:04:01]That means our peaceful protesters, and that means our law enforcement officers.

[00:04:07]Here's what that means.

[00:04:08]Not only are we committed to keeping our residents safe always, but we are especially committed right now to the steps necessary to ensure we do not see an ice surge in New Jersey.

[00:04:21]As the governor said last night, state police arrested six people, five of whom are not from New Jersey.

[00:04:27]People who put others on the ground, including protesters and law enforcement, in harm's way.

[00:04:33]But in New Jersey, law enforcement's presence on the ground is very different from what you would see under ice.

[00:04:40]Here are key items to be aware of from last night.

[00:04:44]We are ensuring zones for peaceful protesting.

[00:04:48]We are ensuring minimal hand-to-hand interactions.

[00:04:52]No New Jersey state police trooper fired a single rubber bullet or struck anyone with a baton.

[00:05:00]We know it can be difficult to see any law enforcement at a protest.

[00:05:06]Unlike what we have seen out of Washington in recent months, we care deeply in our state about protecting our constitutional rights.

[00:05:15]And because we care so deeply about our rights, we will always put the safety of peaceful protesters and law enforcement first.

[00:05:24]Because that's the entire point.

[00:05:26]Protecting our peaceful protesters will help ensure those protesters can make their voices heard on this critically important issue.

[00:05:34]Shining attention on the troubling conditions in Delaney Hall, conditions that remain deeply concerning, and the governor, the Department of Health and I will be continuing to focus relentlessly, all while keeping everyone at the scene safe.

[00:05:49]I'll now turn it over to acting superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, Hagan Meuhl.

[00:05:56]>> Thank you, General. Thank you, Governor.

[00:05:57]Good afternoon. Before I begin, I want to acknowledge the events that took place yesterday. We fully recognize and respect the constitutional rights of every individual, including the right to peacefully assemble and express their views. Peaceful protest is a vital part of our democracy, and we remain committed to safeguarding those rights at all times.

[00:06:19]Our troopers and our law enforcement partners are on scene for one reason, to ensure the safety of everyone involved, including the protesters, the community members, and law enforcement.

[00:06:32]Cooperation helps us maintain maintain an environment where voices can be heard without anyone being placed at risk.

[00:06:39]We will continue working closely with community leaders, event organizers, and our public safety partners to support lawful demonstrations and in to ensure every participant has a safe environment in which to exercise their rights.

[00:06:55]While Newark remains the lead law enforcement agency for today's event, we are fully supporting their operations.

[00:07:01]Strong coordination among all agencies is essential for the safety and success of these events. As we move forward, our message remains consistent. We respect the right to protest. We support the right to be heard, and we ask that all demonstrations remain peaceful and cooperative.

[00:07:19]By working together, we can ensure the constitutional rights are being upheld, while are also protecting the well-being of everyone present.

[00:07:27]We have the plan in place to achieve these goals and remain flexible to adjust as needed to maintain safety. At this time, I would like to invite Lieutenant Colonel David Rotawec to provide additional details on the plans currently in place.

[00:07:41]Colonel >> Good afternoon, everybody. I'd [clears throat] like to thank the governor, the attorney general, superintendent, as well as Pastor Barley, too.

[00:07:51]I know many of you have seen the images and the videos from last night.

[00:07:57]We want you to know that dispersal announcements were issued at approximately 15, 10, and 5-minute intervals, providing individuals with multiple opportunities to comply with lawful orders to disperse.

[00:08:12]During these announcements, agitators surrounded a marked enforcement vehicle car and made threats towards personnel, creating immediate safety concerns.

[00:08:24]Due to escalating safety risks, the Public Safety Response Team was deployed to protect personnel and maintain safety for all.

[00:08:36]Following the dispersal orders, individuals were observed retrieving face coverings, gas masks, fireworks, rocks, and other projectiles from a nearby tent area.

[00:08:50]The PSRT, Public Safety Response Team, initiated crowd management operations using standard tactics to move the crowd away from the operational area.

[00:09:02]The PSRT proved effective in managing crowd movement and creating safe passage for personnel with no significant injuries to the public or law enforcement.

[00:09:15]Today, we remain connected with our local, county, state, and federal partners to support the safety and protection of all people exercising their First Amendment rights.

[00:09:29]While Newark Police Department today is the lead agency, we're continuing close coordination and have many New Jersey State Police assets in place to support the safety as the public safety response team is there still, our mounted unit, our teams unit, our bomb unit, our drones, and our tactical patrol units.

[00:09:49]We also have multiple intelligence agents out on site. Our intelligence personnel continue to monitor the protests from outside regions coming to this area to potentially cause others harm.

[00:10:05]We continue to monitor the crowds in real time today, which have thankfully remained orderly. Thank you very much for your time. I'd like to introduce Pastor Barli.

[00:10:19]>> Thank you.

[00:10:20]Again, my name is Pastor Steffie Bartley. I am the Northeast Regional Director under the leadership of Reverend Al Sharpton, where I cover from Connecticut to Washington, D.C. I just really want to thank the Governor, Attorney General's office, the Superintendent, along with the Mayor of the city of Newark, and the Police Director Mirando for the outstanding work that they've been doing thus far.

[00:10:42]It could not have happened thus far without the teamwork of this state and our lead Governor, who's spearheading this in a proper and peaceful as possible way. I just would like to say to those of you that are out there, when we received the call from the Governor's office, Reverend Al Sharpton called me immediately because for 35 years, we understood the importance of protest, protesting peacefully, allowing to have our voices heard, and then leaving at a peaceful time, and then coming at back again until we get the proper justice that is needed. And so, we're here today to say to all of you, please, please, if you're going to engage in protesting, it must be done peacefully. If not, you leave law enforcement no other choice but to do what they are called to do. And so again, I just want to thank the governor and his office for doing such an outstanding job.

[00:11:44]>> Thank you so much, everyone. Uh and now we have time for some on-topic questions.

[00:11:49]>> Governor, so today I was at the Lady Hall and I've been covering the Lady Hall for the last 9 days. I've been outside and I haven't heard anyone yet acknowledge the fact that protesters, peaceful demonstrators, have been outside of the Lady Hall for the last year working with families and trying to bring attention to the conditions inside the Lady Hall.

[00:12:08]Will you acknowledge the fact that violence didn't start until ICE agents were sent to the Lady Hall, mass ICE agents who have been using tactics to disperse crowds that before were never necessary? Are you Does the governor's office acknowledge the fact that violence didn't start because of protesters who have been there for over a year?

[00:12:28]>> You know, I I don't recall seeing any violence from protesters. I'd have to look back. I I haven't tracked it as closely as you have, but certainly when it came on my radar was, I believe, around Monday evening. If If that's what you recall, I I think And when ICE agents came and and started to interact with the protesters, which is something that we tracked and we're watching very closely and it seemed to be escalating to the point where we were seeing batons used and other things that were not in line with how we felt uh was appropriate for at that time the crowd control. So, that's at that time we were also concerned that there would be a surge of ICE and we were being told that. So, we took measures to make sure that didn't happen.

[00:13:15]>> And just one follow-up, yesterday we saw the New Jersey State Police arrive and a lot of us who have been on the scene saw them setting up with the horses, with their riot gear, and it looked as if they were ready to respond to an escalation, but today New Jersey State Police are at the main hall. And as you mentioned yesterday during your briefing, you were preparing for the counter protesters. The counter protest was today, and when the Proud Boys arrived at the main hall, New Jersey State Police were not prepared with riot gear or horses. They were standing in front of the main hall side entrance where ICE agents have been brutalizing protesters for the last several nights.

[00:13:50]So, my question is, why did NJ State Police arrive yesterday prepared to respond to a riot when there were no counter protesters, but today when the Proud Boys were there, they were lined up almost as if they were guarding the ICE agents who are no longer coming in and out of the gate as they've been doing for the last several days, and they told us that it was necessary and that they were brutalizing people because they were in the way of their operations. Operations that didn't begin until they were sent here on Monday. So, a lot of folks are just confused. Why does it look like today your the the response is peaceful and organized? The Proud Boys were there and there was no issue, but yesterday when it's the same protesters who have been there for a year, New Jersey State Police arrived ready, seemingly, to respond to an escalation that some people would say began with the police and not the protesters.

[00:14:37]>> So, I'll allow uh the LTC to talk a little bit about decisions made, but certainly we were um what we were doing and and I you know, pulling things together remarkably quickly to make sure that there was no pretextual reason for ICE to put their people on the ground. Um we had put them off for at least one night, uh but we did not have a lot of time and we knew that they were uh ready to engage in a way and clear out protesters.

[00:15:05]Having seen what that looks like in other states, um you know, very violent techniques, no area for people to protest, then counter, you know, counter uh people coming in from all over the country and creating really a situation that's very dangerous for everyone.

[00:15:23]At that time, um we decided to move in to make sure that that ICE was not doing any of that and to make a commitment to keeping the public safe.

[00:15:34]Um >> I think your reasoning is pretty clear.

[00:15:35]I think the confusion is just the fact that today it's remained peaceful. The tactics that we >> Certainly.

[00:15:42]Certainly. So, we came in and as you know, from the daytime protest to the evening it's been quite different in what we've seen going on. And yes, I agree with you a lot of that has been a result of ICE because of ICE engagement.

[00:15:53]Um however, we knew that um as we were coming in later and starting to see crowds mass that we wanted to be prepared. Now, what you're seeing today, and I'll turn it over to the LTC to talk a little bit about it, is actually something that we've been preparing for for about a week. Last night came on quite quickly, um given where we the what we were hearing from ICE and what they were about to do and how they were sort of uh I think preparing for a search. But, LTC, you want to talk about it?

[00:16:22]>> Thank you, Governor. And I do appreciate the question. Uh if I could clarify a little bit. Yesterday, when we initially went in, and this was more of like an emergency response, we went in. We went in with our softer uniforms, our B uniforms, for over 3 hours. We wanted to set up areas to be able to peacefully uh assemble. And that's exactly what we did. We messaged out for over 3 hours in our softer uniforms, our B uniforms, to have the assemblers go peacefully, to be organized in the areas that we created at that time. Um there was no compliance. Uh and now, they weren't protesting against us, they just weren't complying with the orders. As the night went on, we saw tension start to rise.

[00:17:00]This is a second level of our response.

[00:17:02]Now, again, we never want anybody to be injured. We know that we are very good at what we do, and what we had to do was clear that area for safe operations, or else there could have been another agency that came in to clear that area.

[00:17:14]We know, again, being that we are very well trained and we are good at what we do, when we operate, our main thing is to protect the public. Even if we're moving you out of the area, we still want to protect the public and make sure that nobody gets injured. And that's exactly what happened last night. So, to answer your question, we did come in last night very soft, explaining to the public what we were asking for. Just to keep everybody Yeah, good.

[00:17:35]Yeah.

[00:17:36]>> I'm just curious, you say that there were people who were the tensions were growing.

[00:17:40]>> Right.

[00:17:41]>> Do you think at all that people were growing more tense because of the way police officers are trained to respond?

[00:17:47]These are one of the projectiles that we were hit with last night. The press was hit with these. The press was hit by the smoke canisters that were thrown to the crowd. It was a really chaotic scene. Is there Do you think that at all the people who were grabbing their gas masks was because we could see the fact that they had, you know, all of this smoke and the pepper spray and tear gas that they had there?

[00:18:07]And also, if the plan was to get people to disperse, >> Right.

[00:18:10]>> why did police officers leave the scene at around 11:30 p.m.?

[00:18:14]stayed out there all night long. I was out there until 3:30 in the morning. If the plan is to disperse people, why didn't the police just stay and allow people to peacefully sit there all night as if they have been doing for months?

[00:18:24]>> Yeah, absolutely. And to start with what you asked is to start with your question. We actually messaged out for 15 minutes that we were asking people to leave the area. We didn't just come in and have people leave the area. We start with three messages five minutes apart that we're asking people to leave the area. So, we're giving well advanced notice of our operations, right? Again, to keep the peace and to keep people safe. Again, our operations are very strategic to keep people safe and not injure anybody. If we have to use any type of chemical munitions, again, that is to keep people safe. It's an irritant. It's not something that's a strike. We were not striking anybody last night. There was no fist thrown.

[00:19:01]There was nothing like that. It is the path of least resistance so that nobody gets injured for us.

[00:19:05]Thank you.

[00:19:06]>> Governor, what's happening on behalf of the >> Can I >> Oh, yeah.

[00:19:08]>> May I just Also, maybe it would be worthwhile, I think, to have Pastor Bartley [clears throat] up, too, about some of the measures we were taking even before when we were hoping that we could keep ICE out and what the work we were doing there.

[00:19:19]>> Sure. Sure. I mean, the work that has really been taking place, I mean, it's like night and day. You know, I just know that that is really night and day.

[00:19:28]The The people that are there in the day are totally different from the people that are there in the evening. And so, what we've have planned to do under the leadership of the mayor, Reverend Luis Roundtree, has really been on the ground every day and we're trying to just keep order.

[00:19:45]And and in order to do that, had not the state troopers been there, ISIS would have been in control. God only knows what could have happened.

[00:19:53]>> Thank you. So, we were working with our community partners to really try to, hopefully, keep the situation in a a peaceful place. And unfortunately, I think, as you mentioned, ICE was not on the same agenda.

[00:20:07]>> Hi, Laura Melendez, I'm with Telemundo.

[00:20:09]Can you talk about the inspection of the Department of Health conducted at Delaney Hall like 2 days ago?

[00:20:15]>> Sure.

[00:20:16]Um so, our Department of Health at We had been hearing concerns from detainees about conditions within Delaney Hall, food, some of the, you know, areas that they felt were unsanitary.

[00:20:27]I had asked to go in formally and then both at the gate had been denied. And so, we sent our Department of Health in to simply inspect.

[00:20:36]If you are, you know, this is something fairly routine for most facilities. So, normally you would go in and inspect the facility. Uh they allowed the Department of Health in, however, they only allowed them into the the kitchen area.

[00:20:52]So, as as we've been saying, like, you know, if you went in to inspect a hospital and they said, you can inspect the kitchen, sure, but not enough, you know, necessary but not sufficient. So, we are right now pushing back to request full access for our Department of Health.

[00:21:09]>> On my second question, Congressman Espaillat mentioned this week they're working on a bill to allow governors full access facilities like the Lenny Hall. What are your thoughts on this?

[00:21:20]>> What are my thoughts on that bill? Um well, the members of Congress in their federal oversight capacity should have full access. That that is the authority they have in oversight over homeland.

[00:21:33]And so, we have seen um you know, sometimes I I feel like there's too much back and forth, but we have seen our federal delegation getting into the facility.

[00:21:43]And they've really been doing some incredible work. Um going to speak to family members of people who they speak to in the crowd who are concerned about specific family members hunting them down. I think uh Representative Menendez spent days finding a family member, for example.

[00:21:59]And they've really also brought to light some of the concerns. In fact, some of the concerns I read today are concerns that uh the federal delegation has been raising for days now. And we are demanding uh these things because of the work they've done inside the facility and what they are hearing directly from uh detainees inside the facility.

[00:22:19]>> Governor, what's happening outside the prison of course has everything to do with what's happening inside the prison.

[00:22:24]Do you still want to get inside the Lenny Hall? What are you doing to make that happen? And Attorney General Davenport, how can you help facilitate um the governor's access into the prison?

[00:22:35]>> So, I would like to get inside the Lenny Hall and have requested that. What I think is as important as getting the Department of Health in there to really do inspections of the food, to do inspections of the bathrooms, to do inspections of the living conditions, um to make sure that it's sanitary and safe. Uh you know, I will just point out this is why we are fighting so hard to not open Roxbury, to not have Roxbury built. It is obviously not appropriate to take a warehouse and have house people there.

[00:23:09]It's why the state of New Jersey passed a law that there would be no private detention facilities. We were overturned in court despite our advocacy including myself when I was in Congress and amicus briefs against opening any private detention facility here. We know the history of GEO operating this private detention facility is very poor. They've had claims across the country, and we know now they have a billion-dollar contract. So, they have a billion-dollar contract to house people that were showing up in cases as I spoke to the families to their court dates. So, no reason to house them for billion dollars in this facility, and at the same time they're doing it on the cheap. They're not providing medicine, they are not providing sanitary conditions as far as we know, um and we are hearing grave concerns there. So, all of this is the reason why we want Delaney Hall closed.

[00:24:00]In the meantime, we want to make sure people, especially vulnerable people, have medicine uh and have the care that they need. Attorney General?

[00:24:08]>> Thank you. And and through our department, Department of Law and Public Safety, we're doing everything we can to make sure as the attorneys for the state and for the departments that we are ensuring access, whether it be the authority that we already have or when something isn't granted. Sometimes those things are in the courts as the as the governor said or whatever it is, whether it's in the courts or on the ground making sure that we're taking all steps appropriate and reviewing all actions to make sure that we make sure that our authority is is known.

[00:24:40]>> Hi, uh Christie with CBS. Governor, just really quickly, last night I know it was tear gas or pepper bomb or whatever was used last night.

[00:24:47]Members of the press, people, demonstrators were there. They said they in their words they feel betrayed just because of the escalation. They felt that instead of bringing down the temperature, it escalated things.

[00:24:57]Anything you want to say to to these demonstrators, your message here, and do you plan to go to Delaney Hall today?

[00:25:03]>> The concern, as I've I've said several times, is to bring attention to what's going on inside Delaney Hall, to protect the peaceful right to protest, and to make sure that we ensure public safety. That is exactly what we have focused on, and our concerns, as I've laid out, that if we did not take some of the measures we did to ensure public safety, then ICE would take very aggressive, very dangerous measures. We've seen it across the country. I've been on the phone with governors across the country have experienced just that. That's why we're acting. I have a deep faith, and I think you heard it here behind me, in everyone in my administration understanding the need to follow the Constitution. I don't have that deep faith. We've had reports of ICE agents even being trained not to follow the Constitution.

[00:25:53]We know we can do this better, more safely, and with more concern for New Jerseyans than they can.

[00:25:59]>> And do you plan to go to Delaney Hall today?

[00:26:01]>> I I haven't planned to do that yet, but but it remains a fluid situation.

[00:26:07]>> Governor Murphy from PIX11 News.

[00:26:10]It seems like traffic is is closed to the area around Delaney Hall regardless of who it is that wants to come. Is there any kind of effort or impetus to perhaps block the the people who are coming at night, or the people who are coming from out of town with some kind of checkpoint, but still allow the the protesters who have been there for a year to to carry out, you know, to carry out what they've been doing in their in their more peaceful protest?

[00:26:36]>> So, we had closed down the street to people that were to any through traffic, so people that didn't have business within the the warehouses there. It was still we still had trucks going through.

[00:26:48]The reason we did that is someone had been hit by a truck, and so it was becoming a more and more dangerous situation. So, we moved much of the through traffic away from that street.

[00:26:58]Today, as I said, was a long, several days planned for event that we were seeing online in some of the different protesters that were coming. We wanted to make sure that we had a very secure situation. So, today we've shut down traffic there. We have received calls from some groups that want to make sure that if people, you know, it's a little bit far to park. So, people need a shuttle in and we've committed to working with them if that's the case. So, we'll continue to work to make sure that protesters have access.

[00:27:30]>> Governor, you you talk about compliance among police agencies. Does that include ICE?

[00:27:36]A. And B, to what extent is there non-compliance with the law in not discarding masks, a sign that they're not complying, they're not cooperating with other law enforcement?

[00:27:49]>> Um As the AG said, we are using every tool that we have to force compliance for the laws and values of the state of New Jersey.

[00:27:57]You have brought up way in which ICE has been acting illegally in our state and that's wearing face masks. We are in court right now to fight just that. So, that's what we're fighting over as far as the non-compliance there.

[00:28:09]What we have been working towards now is ensuring that ICE has no pretextual reason whatsoever to exacerbate the situation. And we have been seeing signs from Washington and elsewhere that that's exactly what they've been trying to do. I mean, comments like they're going to somehow shut down the international airport here in Newark right before FIFA. It it, you know, they are using every tool to I think draw attention away from some of the key and really important things.

[00:28:36]They have not been running this facility well. They've not been running it competently. They have been increasing tensions in a way that's not helpful to public safety.

[00:28:46]This is not what we believe in here in New Jersey. We are doing our job. We are keeping the public safe. We are ensuring constitutional rights, and we are focusing on the safety of the people within the Delaney Hall facility.

[00:28:59]>> One last question.

[00:29:00]>> Uh last night several several media members were in their vehicles working, and they were removed from their vehicles and subjected to pepper spray and pallets and all that.

[00:29:12]Just wondering if there was any reason behind that and why why were they taken out of their vehicles.

[00:29:19]>> Um I'll defer to you on that. I don't know.

[00:29:21]>> Yeah, we don't currently have any reports of that. I will look into that for you.

[00:29:26]Um but that that's something that we're not tracking right now.

[00:29:29]>> We were being told to Well, not me, but several of my colleagues were forcibly taken out of their vehicles and subjected to the tear gas or whatever, and they couldn't get back to their vehicles.

[00:29:42]>> Okay. Yeah, we'll we'll review all that.

[00:29:44]Again, we were trying to have people leave the area, but we will look into that for you. It's no problem. Thank you.

[00:29:50]>> Thank you.

[00:30:10]>> This has been breaking news.