Bill Text: NJ AR144 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Condemns Governor's support of Delaney Hall riots.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-08 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee [AR144 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-AR144-Introduced.html
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.
