By: Richard L. Smith
A violent disturbance inside a Newark immigration detention center Thursday evening led to a jailbreak and prompted a large-scale response from local and federal law enforcement.
The incident happened around 6 p.m. at Delaney Hall, located at 451 Doremus Avenue, where detainees housed under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody reportedly staged a riot.
Newark Police were asked to send officers from every precinct to assist as the situation escalated.
According to preliminary information, several detainees overwhelmed staff, forcing the facility’s warden to evacuate all personnel.
During the chaos, ICE officials said they temporarily lost control of the building.
Once order was restored, authorities determined that at least nine detainees had escaped. A final count Friday morning indicated that about four were now accounted for.
Outside the detention facility, protesters pushed and clashed with guards in an attempt to get inside the gate.
Multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, DHS, ICE, and U.S. Marshals, responded to the facility and are actively searching for the missing individuals.
Officials have not yet released the identities of the escapees, and the circumstances leading up to the riot remain under investigation.
EMS call to the scene bombs were thrown inside the prison, but no serious injuries were reported.
Delaney Hall has recently faced public criticism over detainee conditions and limited access for oversight, sparking protests and ongoing tension between federal officials and local leaders.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not provided further details at this time.