Condemns Governor's support of Delaney Hall riots.

AR144

ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 144

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 8, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Condemns Governor�s support of Delaney Hall riots.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Assembly
Resolution
condemning the Governor�s support of the Delaney Hall riots.
�

Whereas,

The Delaney Hall Detention Facility, which is located in the City of Newark, is
a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center; and

Whereas,

Attorneys representing certain detainees at Delaney Hall have alleged that some
detainees are engaged in a labor and hunger strike because of the conditions at
the facility; and

Whereas,

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security denied the allegations of a detainee
hunger strike and poor conditions at Delaney Hall, assuring that all detainees
are provided with clean water; clothing; bedding; showers; soap; toiletries;
comprehensive medical care; three meals a day, which have been evaluated by a
certified dietician; and access to a phone to communicate with family members
and lawyers; and

Whereas,

During Memorial Day 2026 weekend, riots began outside of Delaney Hall; and

Whereas,

During the night before Memorial Day and into the early morning of Memorial
Day, around 125 rioters obstructed federal ICE agents attempting to enter and
leave Delaney Hall by utilizing a human chain, erecting barricades, and sitting
in the roadways to block all entrances and exits to the facility; and

Whereas,

At Delaney Hall, rioters also ignored orders from law enforcement officers to
disperse; chanted, �kill yourself, quit your job,� at New Jersey State Police and
ICE agents; blocked and impeded the movement of law enforcement and civilian
vehicles; and damaged at least one law enforcement vehicle by using a large
brick to shatter the windshield; and

Whereas,

One rioter, who was captured on video, screamed at an ICE agent, �I�ll kill
your whole [expletive] family. �Your whole [expletive] family is dead. �Your
children, your wife, all dead. �I have your face, [expletive]. �You�re dead. �Dead,�
which led federal authorities to arrest the rioter; and

Whereas,

The Governor formally requested access to Delaney Hall the day before Memorial
Day but was denied access to the facility Memorial Day morning; and

Whereas,

Just hours after the Governor was denied access and the rioters had clashed
with immigration agents outside the facility, the Governor arrived at Delaney
Hall, where visitation was suspended due to the riots outside, and was denied
access to the facility a second time; and

Whereas,

Violent confrontations and obstruction of federal law enforcement operations
outside of Delaney Hall continued for over a week, which led the Mayor of the City
of Newark to implement a 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew for the half-mile radius
surrounding the facility; and

Whereas,

The Governor publicly blamed ICE for the violence, minimizing the role of the
well-funded and well-organized rioters, and utilized the publicity from the
riots to call for shutting down Delaney Hall; and

Whereas,

The

Governor lent rhetorical support to the violent rioters by
downplaying that Delaney Hall detainees broke the law, calling them �fathers
and mothers, sons and daughters, and members of our community,� although the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security has disclosed that certain illegal immigrants
arrested in the State have a criminal history of homicide, aggravated assault,
sexual assault, a sex offense against a child, enticement of a child for
indecent purposes, robbery, weapons offenses, and other crimes; and

Whereas,

The federal government requested assistance from local law enforcement agencies
many times, and neither the City of Newark Police Department nor the New Jersey
State Police initially responded; and

Whereas,

The president of a City of Newark police officers� association stated that the city
police received orders from not just the mayor but also the Governor, who
reportedly told the officers �to stand down�; and

Whereas,

While the involvement of the City of Newark Police Department was limited during
the first week of the riots, the New Jersey State Police, who the Governor sent
to Newark to secure the public�s safety, were in constant danger; and

Whereas,

The Governor�s mobilization of the New Jersey State Police to protect the
rioters, and her visit to Delaney Hall after being denied access, serve to support
and encourage the rioters; and

Whereas,

The Governor stated that �in New Jersey, we believe in the rule of law� while
ignoring the lawbreaking of the Delaney Hall detainees and making common cause
with the lawbreaking rioters threatening and physically impeding law
enforcement at Delaney Hall; and

Whereas,

The Governor�s actions in response to the riots have been merely performative
and focused on a national audience rather than the citizens of this State,
which has ultimately embarrassed the State in the eyes of the nation; now,
therefore,

����
Be It
Resolved
by the General Assembly of the State
of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� This House condemns the
Governor�s support, encouragement, and politicization of the riots outside the
Delaney Hall Detention Facility in the City of Newark that began over Memorial
Day weekend.

���� 2.��� This House calls for a
bipartisan, independent investigation of the actions of the Governor and the
Mayor of the City of Newark in response to the riots outside of the Delaney
Hall Detention Facility.

���� 3.��� Copies of this
resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the
Clerk of the General Assembly to the Governor and the Mayor of the City of
Newark.

STATEMENT

���� This Assembly resolution
condemns the Governor for supporting, encouraging, and politicizing the riots
outside of the Delaney Hall Detention Facility that began over Memorial Day
weekend and calls for a bipartisan, independent investigation of the actions of
the Governor and the Mayor of the City of Newark in response to the riots.

���� The attorneys representing
certain detainees at Delaney Hall, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE) detention center, made allegations related to poor conditions at the
facility.� Although the U.S. Department of Homeland Security denied all
allegations related to the conditions of the facility, individuals began gathering
outside of Delaney Hall over Memorial Day weekend.� The gatherings became
violent and ultimately obstructed the work of ICE agents.� The violent riots
and obstruction of federal law enforcement activities continued for more than a
week.

���� Although being denied access
to Delaney Hall just hours before, the Governor arrived at Delaney Hall on
Memorial Day.� The Governor was again denied access to the facility as
visitation was suspended at the time due to the riots.� The federal government
requested the assistance of local law enforcement multiple times, which the
Governor responded to by blaming the ICE agents for the violence and calling
for the doors of Delaney Hall to be shut.� While both the City of Newark Police
Department and the New Jersey State Police initially refused to respond to the
riots, the State Police have taken primary responsibility for ensuring the
public is safe, which has resulted in the State Police officers being in
constant danger.� The Governor�s actions, which have been merely performative
actions focused on pandering to the nation rather than facilitating a solution
for the citizens of New Jersey, have both supported and encouraged the Delaney
Hall rioters.