AFT president Randi Weingarten protests ICE detention at Delaney Hall

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, delivered a heated speech outside the ICE detention center Delaney Hall near Newark, New Jersey, on October 7, 2026, condemning the government's immigration detention policies and asserting that the people held there had not committed crimes.

The remarks arrived amid a broader wave of criticism from the Department of Homeland Security, which said the detainees are illegal immigrants who have violated immigration law and are therefore subject to removal. A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital that any claim of subpar conditions at ICE facilities is false and highlighted an “over 8,000% increase” in threats against DHS law‑enforcement officers.

Weingarten, who grew up in Nyack, New York, linked her grandparents’ immigrant experience to the families she saw at Delaney Hall. She warned that the government’s “cruelty” was “terrible” and urged a fix to what she described as a broken immigration system.

In response, DHS emphasized its “straightforward” mission of enforcing existing laws and protecting national security. The agency encouraged detainees to use the CBP Home App, noting the United States is offering illegal aliens $3,000 and a free flight to self‑deport.

School‑choice activist Corey DeAngelis seized the moment to criticize Weingarten, suggesting the union leader wants more undocumented students enrolled in public schools to boost taxpayer funding. He cited the 1982 Plyler v. Doe decision, which barred states from denying free public education to undocumented children.

Social media users on X echoed the debate, with some arguing that Weingarten was overstepping the bounds of her role as an education leader, while others defended her civil‑rights advocacy. Critics also referenced Weingarten’s previous activism, including a boycott of Target over the retailer’s response to ICE operations.

The clash underscores a growing tension between education unions and immigration policy, as leaders like Weingarten expand their advocacy beyond classroom issues. The Department of Education has not commented, and officials continue to monitor the fallout from the protest.