On May 9, 2025, a protest at Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark, New Jersey, escalated when a group of demonstrators, including Democratic Representatives Robert Menendez Jr. and Bonnie Watson Coleman, stormed the facility’s security gate.

The protesters were advocating for several detainees held by ICE, whom the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described in a detailed thread on X.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who participated in the protest, was arrested for trespassing after disregarding multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, emphasized that “no one is above the law,” following Baraka’s arrest. Court documents and reports from The Gateway Pundit confirm that Baraka was released from custody later that evening. The incident has ignited a broader debate over immigration policies, protest actions, and the treatment of detainees.

Below is a breakdown of the detainees highlighted by DHS, whom the protesters, including the Democratic Congress members, were advocating for during the incident.

Chinchilla Caballero: MS-13 Gang Member

Chinchilla Caballero is currently in ICE custody at Delaney Hall, pending removal proceedings. According to DHS, Caballero is a confirmed active member of the notorious MS-13 gang, a transnational criminal organization known for its violent activities. DHS stated that Caballero matches numerous TECS (Treasury Enforcement Communications System) lookouts, indicating a history of criminal activity flagged by federal authorities. MS-13, which originated in Los Angeles in the 1980s, has a significant presence in the U.S., Central America, and beyond, often engaging in drug trafficking, extortion, and murder. The gang’s history, as noted in a Wikipedia entry, ties its growth to the deportation of Salvadoran immigrants following the Salvadoran Civil War, which facilitated its spread.

Ramos Marin: Wanted for Homicide in Brazil

Ramos Marin, a 23-year-old Venezuelan national, was arrested on April 29, 2025, in East Orange, New Jersey, by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Newark, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Marin is wanted in Brazil for homicide and has an active INTERPOL Red Notice, marking him as an international fugitive. According to an ICE press release, Marin had illegally entered the U.S., and his arrest followed a referral from U.S. Border Patrol on April 9, 2025, identifying him as a fugitive from justice. Marin, who also faces charges for crimes along the East Coast, is currently detained in ICE custody without bond, awaiting removal proceedings.

Saravia Santamaria: MS-13 Affiliate from El Salvador

Saravia Santamaria, a citizen of El Salvador, was encountered by ICE’s ERO Newark Fugitive Operations Unit during an operation named “Raven.” DHS confirmed that Santamaria has a known and verified affiliation with MS-13, the same gang tied to Chinchilla Caballero. The Raven operation, which targets fugitives and gang members, led to Santamaria’s detention, and he remains in ICE custody. MS-13’s presence in the U.S., as detailed in Wikipedia, includes up to 10,000 members as of 2018, though this represents less than 1% of the total gang population in the country. The gang’s activities often involve violent crimes.

Adonis Estevez Bello: “Dominicans Don’t Play” Gang Member

Adonis Estevez Bello, a 23-year-old Dominican national, was arrested by ICE Newark on May 5, 2025. Estevez has a documented criminal history, with multiple felony convictions including possession of a controlled dangerous substance, drug trafficking, resisting arrest, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes. DHS also noted Estevez’s active affiliation with the street gang “Dominicans Don’t Play” (DDP), a Dominican-American gang founded in Manhattan in 1991. According to Wikipedia, DDP is known for using machetes and knives as weapons and has a significant presence in New York and New Jersey, with ties to the Colombian drug cartel. Estevez remains in ICE custody pending a removal hearing.

Maximo Nunez: Dominican National with Extensive Criminal History

Maximo Nunez, a 58-year-old citizen of the Dominican Republic, was arrested by ICE Newark on May 5, 2025, alongside Estevez Bello. Nunez has a lengthy criminal record, with felony arrests for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, obstructing the administration of law, aggravated unlicensed driving, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and interfering with the custody of children. While DHS did not specify a gang affiliation for Nunez, his extensive history of violent and drug-related charges paints a picture of a high-risk individual. Nunez is currently in ICE custody, awaiting a removal hearing.

Each detainee’s case has been used by DHS to highlight the criminal backgrounds of some individuals at Delaney Hall, framing the protest as a misguided effort to protect those who pose a threat to public safety.

Today, as a bus of detainees was entering the security gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center, a group of protestors, including two members of US Congress, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility. The allegations by Newark politicians that Delaney does not have the…

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 9, 2025