Photojournalists Allege ICE Agents Targeted Them at Delaney Hall Protests

Multiple photojournalists covering anti-ICE protests outside Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, have alleged that ICE agents deliberately targeted them and their cameras. Reuters photojournalist Ryan Murphy reported being struck with a baton over several nights, resulting in a broken finger and damaged equipment. Madison Swart, a contributor to The New York Times, claimed she was forcefully pushed to the ground by an agent with a baton. Another photographer, who requested anonymity, said the top of his camera was smashed. The protests, ongoing for over a week, involve detainees demanding improved living conditions and medical care, with demonstrators supporting immigrants they say face inhumane treatment. amNewYork has contacted the Department of Homeland Security for comment but has not yet received a response. These incidents follow a pattern of photojournalist safety risks during U.S. protests, including a February incident where a photographer was struck by a less-lethal round in Los Angeles, and a March case where a student photographer lost an eye after being hit by a DHS projectile.