In a concerning development, agitators from across the United States have converged on Delaney Hall, a contentious immigration detention center in New Jersey, inciting violence, as reported by officials on Monday. The facility has become a flashpoint for protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) practices.
During a press briefing, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin highlighted that individuals had traveled from distant locations, including Portland, Oregon, to cause unrest outside the Newark-based center. Their actions have escalated tensions, leading to a series of confrontations with law enforcement.
Between May 26 and May 29, authorities arrested 21 protesters on charges of assaulting federal officers. The disruptions continued, with an additional 20 arrests occurring on Sunday alone, underscoring the ongoing volatility surrounding the site.
Mullin expressed his gratitude to the New Jersey state police, who, after some hesitation, deployed officers to assist federal agents in controlling the disorderly crowd following a tumultuous week.
“In sanctuary cities and states, law enforcement officers often find themselves restricted by radical left leadership, despite their commitment to their duties,” Mullin stated during the press conference. “However, when they arrived at Delaney Hall, it became clear that these were not the peaceful protesters as described by leftist politicians,” he added, stressing the disparity between political narratives and the reality on the ground.
“But when they did show up [at Delaney Hall], they quickly realized these aren’t peaceful protesters that the radical left politicians were telling you about,” he added.
Mullin called the protesters “well-organized” and “well-supplied” — hours after federal officers tore down a volunteer camp stocked with supplies intended for detainees’ families and loved ones.
Portland has seen repeated anti-ICE demonstrations since June 2025. Protest flared monthly since then, and in March, one dim-wit accidentally set himself on fire while trying to burn an American flag outside a city immigration facility.
Mullin didn’t identify any other states the agitators may have traveled from, or how many have been arrested in total. The Post reached out to DHS for more information.
So far, at least two agitators, both native to the tristate area, have been charged for their alleged misconduct.
Brendan John Geier, a 26-year-old from Madison, New Jersey, allegedly sank his teeth into federal law enforcement officers during a demonstration last week. He was previously accused of distributing child pornography while he was in college.
Nicholas Matthew Scelfo, a 27-year-old Brooklynite, was charged for allegedly threatening to kill an agent and his family during a heated confrontation at Delaney Hall on May 27.
“I’ll kill your whole f–king family. Your whole f–king family is dead. Your children, your wife, all dead,” the agitator was heard shouting at federal agents in video footage captured by witnesses.
“I have your face, motherf–ker. You’re dead. Dead,” he added.
