[VIDEO] Protester Hit by Vehicle Outside New Jersey ICE Facility
[VIDEO] Protester Hit by Vehicle Outside New Jersey ICE Facility as Police Identify Suspect
Minnesota Protester Hit by Vehicle Outside New Jersey ICE Facility as Police Identify Suspect
A Minnesota activist was struck by a vehicle while protesting outside a federal immigration detention facility in New Jersey, according to CBS Minnesota, as local authorities continue investigating the incident and a suspect now faces charges.
Alex James, a St. Paul resident who traveled to Delaney Hall to protest outside the ICE-linked facility, said she was hospitalized in Newark for hours after being hit. She told CBS Minnesota that her injuries were primarily bruising, some of which appeared later.
The incident unfolded at a site that has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over immigration detention conditions. Protesters and activists have raised concerns about overcrowding and treatment inside the facility, while federal officials have pushed back on those claims.
James said she had been participating peacefully and framed her presence there as an exercise of free speech rights. “The First Amendment right is the First Amendment right for a reason,” she told CBS Minnesota. “We have a right to speak out against what we feel is injustice.”
The Department of Homeland Security said the vehicle involved was not driven by an ICE employee and referred questions to GEO Group, the private contractor connected to the facility. CBS Minnesota reported that GEO Group did not respond to a request for comment.
The outlet also reported that a license plate check showed the vehicle was registered in Delaware on May 28, 2026.
In a separate statement cited by CBS Minnesota, DHS described a chaotic scene involving protesters, alleging that rioters surrounded an employee’s vehicle, assaulted federal officers, interfered with a lawful arrest and attempted to obstruct law enforcement operations. The agency also said one person was arrested after allegedly biting an officer.
On Wednesday, Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda Sr. said detectives identified the driver as 38-year-old Thomas Brown. Brown has been charged with assault by auto and issued a traffic summons for reckless driving, according to the report.
Newark police responded to the crash and say the investigation remains ongoing
