A confrontation outside a federal immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, escalated into a chaotic scene Monday, with Sen. Andy Kim (D) saying he was exposed to pepper spray during a tense encounter involving protesters and federal immigration officers outside Delaney Hall.
The incident unfolded at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center where demonstrators have gathered in recent days to protest conditions inside the facility.
Advocacy groups and some family members of detainees have alleged issues including limited medical care, inadequate food, and poor treatment of those being held, while federal officials have pushed back on parts of those claims.
Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, said he was visiting the facility as part of an oversight delegation that included other state Democrats.
Lawmakers said their attempt to enter the facility was initially delayed or restricted, contributing to rising tensions outside the perimeter as crowds gathered near the entrance.
As the situation developed, Kim described a rapidly escalating scene outside the facility involving protesters, law enforcement personnel, and congressional members positioned near the entrance.
He said federal officers deployed crowd-control measures, including pepper balls and spray, as they attempted to manage the growing demonstration, Trending Politics reported.
Video shared on social media and described in multiple reports showed Kim receiving treatment after the incident, with bystanders assisting him by flushing his eyes with water and providing an ice pack.
Additional footage reportedly captured interactions between lawmakers, protesters, and federal agents as the situation unfolded.
Kim later said he witnessed what he described as aggressive crowd-control tactics, including individuals being restrained as officers worked to disperse the gathering.
He said the environment outside the facility had become chaotic and dangerous, complicating the oversight visit.
Following the confrontation, Kim criticized conditions at Delaney Hall and said accounts from detainees pointed to serious concerns requiring further investigation.
According to USA Today, he argued the situation reflected broader systemic issues within immigration detention operations and called for increased transparency and accountability.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said Kim was eventually granted access to the facility after he contacted agency leadership directly.
The department did not confirm whether all members of the congressional delegation were permitted entry at the same time or under identical conditions.
Federal officials also disputed parts of the protest narrative, including claims of a formal or coordinated hunger strike inside the facility.
DHS officials described some aspects of the demonstration as politically driven and said access restrictions were tied in part to security concerns during ongoing protests outside the center.
Protesters, including family members of detainees and immigration advocacy groups, said they gathered outside Delaney Hall to raise concerns about conditions inside and to demand greater oversight.
They have called for improved medical care, better transparency, and changes to detention practices.
Delaney Hall, a privately operated facility with roughly 1,000 beds, opened earlier this year as part of an expansion of immigration detention capacity.
It has quickly become a focal point in broader disputes over immigration enforcement, detention conditions, and congressional oversight access.
The incident adds to growing political friction between Democratic lawmakers and federal immigration authorities, with both sides offering sharply different accounts of what occurred outside the facility and what conditions exist inside.
No serious injuries were reported, and the situation remains under review as lawmakers, federal officials, and advocacy groups continue to provide competing accounts of the confrontation.
WATCH:
