Leftist Activists Build Illegal “Autonomous Zone” Around NJ ICE Facility

They keep doing it because the consequences are not harsh enough yet, and they enjoy the protection of Democrat politicians and NGO-backed funding.  Without support from the Democrat Party and global non-profits, the Anti-ICE movement would not exist.  In other words, they’re astroturf. 

Of course, that doesn’t stop them from causing all kinds of trouble. Federal agents moved within the past 48 hours to break down a make-shift “autonomous zone” built by leftist activists around the New Jersey Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark. 

NOW: Anti-ICE “protestors” have put a BARRIER outside the ICE facility in Newark, and are BLOCKING vehicles from entering and leaving

Is this SERIOUSLY being tolerated now??!

Start flooding the street with TEARGAS and FORCE them to move. pic.twitter.com/J7WQy8Pr2n

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 25, 2026

Tear gas and other less-lethal means were deployed after protesters tried to establish encampments and barricades to block vehicles from entering or leaving the site.

BREAKING: CLASHES between ICE agents agents and leftist rioters broke out this morning at the ICE facility in Newark, NJ as rioters attempted to BLOCK ICE vehicles

ICE ROUGHED UP these twerps.

Well done, ICE! pic.twitter.com/XFSDZkscBN

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) May 25, 2026

The primary NGO organizing the NJ actions is The New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ), which has been heavily involved in the Delaney protests.  These state level NGOs are often two or three layers away from larger organizers and, more often than not, money from globalist foundations like Open Society, Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation is flowing into their coffers.  

The strategies employed by activists have become standard – Incite, provoke, sabotage and disrupt until agents respond with force, then let the establishment media cherry pick footage to paint ICE as the villains while Democrat politicians “demand access and answers”.  It is a finely tuned and well organized agitation operation.

Democrat representatives continue to spread lies about the intended scope of deportations – Claiming that the operations are “not supposed to target people without criminal records”.  So, let’s be clear:

The Trump Administration has always said that deportations will apply to all illegal immigrants, not just those that committed crimes after entering the country.  At no point has Trump said immigration enforcement would be limited to aliens with rap sheets.  By extension, all illegal migrants are, by definition, criminals.

Democrats have knowingly persisted with this false narrative in order to inject it into the public discourse.  It has no validity, and the majority of the populace continues to support mass deportations.

Sob stories, performative theatrics and fake hunger strikes aside, deportations continue at a steady pace.  ICE efforts have led to 72,044 removals of illegals since April 4th, averaging around 1286 deportations per day.  Trump has announced plans to expand these actions into the end of the year, with larger processing facilities already built and more agent trained. 

Though some critics argue that the number of deportations is not enough, it’s important to remember that it was far easier for the Biden Administration to open the borders up and let illegals pour in than it is to get them back out of the country again.  It is also likely that, as Trump’s deportations increase, NGO activists will return in greater numbers to disrupt. 

As long as they can operate with relative impunity within blue states and sanctuary cities, this paid army of saboteurs will remain an ongoing obstacle.