Police in New Jersey deployed tear gas to disperse protesters gathered outside an immigration detention facility in Newark as tensions escalated over alleged conditions inside the center.
The confrontation took place at Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility that has been the focus of demonstrations for nearly a week.
Protesters, activists, and advocacy groups have accused the facility of poor treatment of detainees, while federal authorities and the center's operator have rejected those claims.
According to reports, tensions escalated Friday as state police, ICE officers, and protesters clashed outside the facility, prompting officials to intervene and establish a designated area for demonstrations.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced Friday that state police would take control of the situation and create a separate barricaded area for demonstrators.
However, some protesters reportedly refused to relocate and instead staged a sit-in outside the detention center. As authorities attempted to clear the area, reports emerged of officers using tear gas and batons to disperse crowds.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill urged all sides to lower tensions, saying, 'It has grown unsafe, and that's completely unacceptable.'
According to reports, more than a dozen people have been arrested since the protests began roughly a week ago.
The dispute over conditions inside the facility continues, and further demonstrations could follow in the coming days.
