ICE Agents Unleash Pepper Spray As Newark Detention Center Hunger Strike Escalates

Video filmed by X user whit strub shows two powerful scenes from the ongoing hunger and labor strike at Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey.

One clip shows detainees inside the facility waving and flashing lights from their windows during the night, signaling solidarity and communication with protesters gathered outside.

A second video, filmed on May 25, 2026, captures a tense confrontation between community protesters and ICE agents. Demonstrators had formed a human chain to block exits and prevent the punitive transfer of hunger strikers.

The footage was recorded moments before agents used pepper spray against the crowd.

The videos document escalating protests and repression linked to the hunger strike, which began on May 22, 2026.

Approximately 300 detainees are refusing food and work while demanding the release of elderly, young, and medically vulnerable people. They are also calling for improvements to conditions inside the privately operated facility, including spoiled food, lack of medical care, and extreme temperatures.

The protests have also drawn elected officials, including Mikie Sherrill and Andy Kim, who were present during the clashes.