Newark Mayor Imposes Curfew on Immigration Detention Centre

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has proposed establishing protected protest zones in an effort to minimize clashes with law enforcement. The proposal comes amid ongoing protests outside Delaney Hall, a private immigration detention center operated by GEO Group and managed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark has imposed a curfew on the area surrounding the facility, restricting movement within half a mile of the center between 9pm and 6am Eastern time.

The curfew was announced following a flare-up in tensions outside the detention center, during which multiple individuals were arrested for possessing weapons. The mayor stated that immediate action was required to protect public safety. As part of the curfew, Doremus Avenue will be closed to pedestrians and vehicles without proper verification.

Protests have been ongoing at Delaney Hall since May, with demonstrators gathering outside to show solidarity with hunger strikers inside. Detainees have reported substandard living conditions, including expired food and inadequate medical care. The Trump administration has justified its mass deportation campaign as a means of removing “the worst of the worst” from the country.

Governor Sherrill has called for designated protest zones to mitigate potential conflicts between law enforcement and demonstrators. However, clashes have continued, with six protesters arrested overnight on Wednesday. Politicians, including Mayor Baraka and US Representative LaMonica McIver, have also encountered tense interactions at Delaney Hall. Governor Sherrill was denied access to the facility earlier this week and has since called for its shutdown.

According to data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, approximately 71 percent of those in ICE detention had no criminal conviction as of April. The proposal for protected protest zones aims to protect the safety of peaceful protesters while also addressing concerns about public safety.

Source: Al Jazeera