ICE pepper-sprays a sitting U.S. senator in New Jersey, and the governor standing next to him was denied entry to a detention facility

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents pepper-sprayed U.S. Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) and protesters outside Delaney Hall, an immigrant detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. The senator had placed himself between the crowd and the agents, raising his arms in a peaceful gesture, but ICE agents pushed the crowd back and fired projectiles containing chemical irritants, hitting him and several others.

“It’s just burning,” Senator Kim said after inhaling the chemicals, as reported by Mediaite. The incident was caught on video and shared on social media, showing the senator being helped by protesters after being hit. The video quickly spread online and drew widespread attention from across the country.

Governor Mikie Sherrill (D) was also present at the facility and was denied entry. She had spoken with family members of detainees, who told her they were being served spoiled food and receiving poor medical care. “No matter what your immigration status is, you shouldn’t be treated with anything less than dignity in this country,” she said.

Delaney Hall has a long history of controversy and complaints about poor conditions

Delaney Hall is a privately-owned 1,000-bed facility used by ICE as a detention center in Newark. The facility has been the subject of many protests and complaints about poor living conditions, with detainees and their families speaking out about how they have been treated.

In the month before this incident, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested outside the building. This comes amid a wider pattern of ICE agents using aggressive tactics on civilians, including a recent case where a New York teenager was tackled and injured before agents admitted they had the wrong person.

In recent months, detainees at the facility have been on a hunger strike to protest spoiled food and poor medical care. Senator Cory Booker spoke about the situation, saying, “Immigrants at Delaney Hall are on a hunger strike because they are fighting for their human rights.” The strike has been peaceful, with detainees refusing to eat or work to draw attention to their conditions, according to CNN.

Several lawmakers have called for the facility to be shut down following the pepper-spray incident. “The conditions are absolutely outrageous,” said Rep. Frank Pallone. “This place needs to be closed down.” Senator Kim also commented on the broader issue, saying, “What we saw here is unfortunately just what we see all over the country. It’s sad, it’s a sad day.” 

The incident has drawn renewed attention to how detainees are treated at privately-run ICE facilities across the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) denied the allegations of poor conditions at the facility, calling them “nothing more than a political stunt.” 

Public frustration with ICE has been growing in other ways too, a Nashville comedian’s parody ICE tip website that went viral prompted Homeland Security to issue a nationwide lookout alert for him. In June of last year, four detainees escaped Delaney Hall during a revolt over food, adding to the long list of issues at the facility.

Following the incident, Senator Kim’s office released a statement condemning the use of pepper spray and calling for immediate action. “The use of pepper spray on Senator Kim and protesters is a clear example of the aggressive tactics used by ICE agents,” the statement read. 

It also said, “We call on the Department of Homeland Security to take immediate action to address the subpar conditions at Delaney Hall and to hold accountable those responsible for the mistreatment of detainees.” Multiple lawmakers have since echoed this call, putting further pressure on federal authorities to respond.