Summary:
The Newark unrest at the Delaney Hall ICE facility has revealed the sophisticated, multi-layered infrastructure supporting radical leftist protest movements in the United States. This infrastructure is characterized by the convergence of major philanthropic funding from organizations such as the Ford Foundation, Tides Foundation, and Open Society Foundations, professionalized support from national advocacy networks, and rapid tactical mobilization. National organizations—including the Detention Watch Network, American Friends Service Committee, and Cosecha NJ—serve as institutional pillars, channeling resources and expertise to local direct-action campaigns. Digital fundraising platforms and disciplined messaging strategies further enable these groups to coordinate high-impact protest actions with national reach and operational effectiveness.
Detailed Report
1. The Newark Unrest as Catalyst
Over the last week, the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark became the site of sustained unrest involving radical leftist groups. What began as protests over detainee conditions escalated into violent confrontations, including the use of projectiles against law enforcement, death threats against ICE personnel, and the establishment of a well-supplied encampment. To learn more, you can read our earlier cable here. The Delaney Hall incident serves as a useful case study for examining the funding, organizational networks, and tactical infrastructure that enable such protest activity.
2. Organizational Infrastructure
The backbone of the Newark protests was provided by a network of established advocacy organizations with deep national reach and coordinated capacity. These groups brought structure, resources, and strategic direction to the movement, ensuring its objectives were both impactful and sustained.
2A. Detention Watch Network (DWN)
The Detention Watch Network (DWN), which coordinates over 100 member organizations nationwide, served as a central pillar of the Newark protests. With a mission to abolish immigration detention, DWN operates through collective advocacy, grassroots organizing, and strategic communications. Its professional staff and board ensure unified strategies, while its capacity-building trainings and national convenings enable rapid mobilization. By providing technical resources and fostering collaboration, DWN empowers local groups to respond swiftly to direct action events as seen in Newark.
2B. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) played a key role in supporting the protests through its New Jersey Immigrant Rights Program. Guided by Quaker values, AFSC combines direct legal support with systemic advocacy to promote peace and justice. Its integrated model includes legal representation, community organizing, and education, ensuring immigrant voices are heard at all levels of government. AFSC also emphasizes leadership development for impacted individuals and collaborates with a wide network of partners, making it a leading advocate for immigrant rights in New Jersey.
2C. Cosecha NJ and Movimiento Cosecha
Cosecha NJ, the local branch of the national Movimiento Cosecha network, acted as the operational bridge between national campaigns and local execution. Dedicated to securing dignity and protection for undocumented immigrants, Cosecha NJ organizes direct actions, mobilizes communities, and implements national strategies at the state and municipal levels. Its alignment with Movimiento Cosecha ensures shared messaging, coordinated campaigns, and mutual support, enabling local actions to contribute to broader movement goals.
Collectively, these organizations provide essential legal advocacy, logistical support, and strategic coordination, enabling rapid mobilization and sustained protest activity.
3. Funding Ecosystem
The financial architecture supporting these movements is robust and multi-layered. The Ford Foundation is a primary documented funder of the DWN, awarding a $2 million Social Bond grant for August 2021 to July 2025 and an additional $600,000 grant for August 2024 to July 2026. The Ford Foundation also provided $200,000 to the AFSC in 2023. The Tides Foundation granted $221,000 to AFSC in 2023, with additional grants in prior years. Open Society Foundations invested $780,000 in ASO Communications between 2019 and 2023 and launched a $300 million civil liberties initiative in 2026, with a longstanding commitment to immigrant rights. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has been linked via open-source reporting to ASO Communications and the State Innovation Exchange (SiX), which have produced protest messaging materials used in the Newark unrest. At the tactical level, direct-donation platforms such as Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, and cryptocurrency are used for rapid, decentralized fundraising. These platforms enable local organizers to quickly pool resources for protest logistics, equipment, and support, often bypassing traditional nonprofit financial reporting structures.
4. Tactical Mobilization
Encrypted messaging platforms, particularly Signal, were used for real-time coordination and distribution of supply lists during the Newark protests. Equipment distributed to participants included P100 respirators, ANSI Z87.1 or MIL-PRF-32432 impact goggles, welding gloves for handling tear gas canisters, helmets, body armor, and Sudecon chemical decontamination wipes. On-site “medics” received equipment packages containing these items, reflecting a high degree of premeditation and logistical sophistication. The procurement and distribution of such gear demonstrates the capacity for rapid tactical mobilization enabled by the underlying organizational infrastructure.
5. Narrative and Messaging Coordination
Messaging discipline was enforced through the Freedom Over Fascism Toolkit, produced by ASO Communications, led by Anat Shenker-Osorio, and the SiX. The toolkit, funded in part by Open Society Foundations, provided explicit linguistic directives, instructing activists to use terms such as “concentration camp” instead of “detention center,” “captives” instead of “detainees,” and “kidnapped/abducted” instead of “arrested.” Creator Briefs referencing DWN guidance were distributed to social media influencers, including tiered content tasks, pre-selected video clips, and recommended accounts for amplification. The messaging framework is rooted in the Race Class Narrative, developed with Lake Research Partners, Demos, and others, and was disseminated through networks including DWN, AFSC, Indivisible, and the National Education Association. The NEA provided $1.7 million in funding to a May Day 2026 training toolkit that included anti-ICE messaging, and both Indivisible and NEA have been involved in organizing and amplifying protest actions in schools and communities nationwide.
6. External Mobilization and National Networks
Evidence confirms that the Newark protests were a nationally coordinated effort rather than a local, organic event. According to the New Jersey Attorney General, five of the six individuals arrested were from outside New Jersey, with charges including disorderly conduct, obstruction, and endangering another person. The New Jersey State Police Public Safety Response Team also issued dispersal orders against out-of-state agitators armed with rocks and fireworks. Journalist Andy Ngo documented the arrival of communist influencer Hasan Piker at the protest site, while Jack Posobiec, reporting on Bannon’s WarRoom, highlighted the operational continuity of Antifa-linked networks across state and national boundaries. Fox News and the New York Post reported on the pooling of funds for riot gear and the presence of out-of-state agitators, further illustrating the scale and coordination of external mobilization.
Conclusion
The unrest at the Delaney Hall ICE facility offers a comprehensive view of the sophisticated coordination and infrastructure driving contemporary protest movements in the United States. Through the convergence of major philanthropic funding, professionalized advocacy networks, and decentralized tactical mobilization, these movements demonstrate a high degree of operational capacity. The involvement of national organizations, such as the Detention Watch Network, American Friends Service Committee, and Movimiento Cosecha, highlights the multi-layered approach underpinning their efforts. This event serves as a testament to the scale, organization, and adaptability of modern protest networks, which continue to evolve in response to shifting political and social landscapes.