☑️President Trump said Newark ICE protesters outside Delaney Hall are being paid

☑️Homeland Secretary Mullin said only a “handful” of detainees are on a hunger strike

☑️Trump praised New Jersey police but said state policy limits help for ICE

NEWARK — The protesters outside the Delaney Hall ICE detention center are paid and only a “handful” of detainees are part of a hunger strike, according to Trump administration officials who said New Jersey police “love him.”

During a cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said that those participating in the hunger strike at the ICE detention facility are refusing to eat because they want food from their native country.

“They can go back to the country and get whatever food they want. The fact is we’re giving them the calories they want. This isn’t (the) Holiday Inn. We’re giving them sanitation,” Mullin said.

ICE has often said that remaining detained is a choice and that those being held are free to self-deport.

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ICE agents affected by protests

Mullin criticized the timing of the visit to Delaney Hall by Gov. Mikie Sherrill and U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, D-NJ, on Monday, the Memorial Day holiday. It shows the priorities of Democrats to protect rapists, child predators, murderers and drug dealers Mullin said are being held at Delaney Hall. He also said that workers are affected by the protesters.

“They barricaded it not allowing our employees to come in and out. ICE has to go out there, remove the barricade, and then you have one of the senators complain because he got splattered with a pepper ball. You probably shouldn’t have been there,” Mullin said.

Kim has said he was pepper sprayed by ICE agents as he tried to visit with detainees. Video shows Kim sitting on the ground as someone poured water on his eyes to take away the burn.

President Donald Trump called the protesters outside the Newark facility “paid for protesters” because of the signs are they are holding. The president said they are all made at the same “beautiful factory,” and do such a good job he may hire them. Mullin said that Antifa signs were also being held.

The president praised New Jersey police as “phenomenal” but lamented that they are not able to help ICE agents under most circumstances. Under the state’s Immigrant Trust Directive, local police may not assist ICE agents except when enforcing criminal laws.

“They love this administration more than any administration they’ve ever had, and they’re thanking me all the time. I see those guys going up and down the Jersey Turnpike with their big beautiful hats on and I say ‘I’d like to look like that someday,'” Trump said. “They love the Border Patrol, and they’re not allowed to talk to anybody. It’s like, but it all comes from the time they have to follow orders, they want to keep their jobs.”

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