NEWARK — A female protester was struck by a car entering the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, during a Father’s Day demonstration on Sunday, suffering non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
The incident occurred around 5:07 p.m. on June 21 as families and activists rallied outside the facility calling for the release of detained immigrants under the slogan “Free the dads,” according to video shared on social media and statements from organizers and officials. Newark police responded to the scene at Doremus Avenue and Roanoke Avenue. The woman was transported to University Hospital for treatment.
Demonstrators said the protester, described as a woman from Minnesota, was waving an upside-down American flag and was hit from behind by a vehicle driven by a GEO Group employee as it entered the facility. Organizers stated she was not blocking traffic at the time.
Soon after the collision, ICE agents deployed pepper spray and mace on the crowd, according to protester accounts. GEO Group operates the privately contracted detention center.
Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda confirmed the protester received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. Details on the driver’s identity and any potential charges remained unclear as of Tuesday.
The demonstration was part of ongoing protests outside Delaney Hall, which have intensified in recent weeks amid concerns over conditions for detainees, including reports of hunger strikes and restricted family visits. Protesters have repeatedly clashed with federal officers and facility staff.
ICE officials have previously described responses to incidents at the facility as necessary to maintain order and de-escalate situations involving detainees and external demonstrations. A spokesperson for the agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sunday’s events.
“Families gathered peacefully to highlight the human cost of detention on Father’s Day,” one organizer said, according to reports from the scene.
As of Tuesday, the injured protester’s condition was stable. Newark police and federal authorities continued to investigate the circumstances of the collision and subsequent use of chemical irritants. No other injuries were immediately reported from the demonstration.
The episode adds to tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and private detention centers in the region.
