Protests outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey have resulted in more than 80 arrests since late May, as demonstrators clash with law enforcement over allegations of poor conditions inside the facility.

The 1,000-bed facility, operated by private contractor GEO Group, has been the site of a reported hunger strike by detainees who issued handwritten letters describing their conditions. Detainees have alleged they receive moldy and expired food, inadequate medical care, and are housed in overcrowded cells lacking air conditioning. Democratic members of Congress visited the facility and said the detainees' accounts appeared credible.

The Trump administration has defended conditions at the center, with officials denying the existence of a hunger strike or poor treatment. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated officials are providing adequate nutrition, while border czar Tom Homan praised the food quality after a recent visit. GEO Group dismissed the criticisms as a politically motivated campaign against immigration detention.

Protesters have used traffic cones, trash cans and other items as shields while attempting to block vehicles from entering or leaving the facility. Law enforcement officers have deployed tear gas and used batons to disperse crowds, with some videos showing mounted police. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche shared images of injuries sustained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

Governor Mikie Sherrill initially hesitated to intervene but eventually called in state police after declaring the situation had grown unsafe. State troopers established designated protest zones and vehicle checkpoints. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka imposed a 9 p.m. curfew but later scaled back the city's police presence, citing reduced arrests and reluctance to spend taxpayer funds guarding a private facility.

New Jersey's attorney general filed a lawsuit against GEO Group this week, alleging the facility denied state health inspectors full access to investigate the conditions. One law enforcement officer was charged with stealing $10,000 worth of camera equipment from an Associated Press photojournalist who was injured while covering the protests.