New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill was turned away Monday from a federal immigration detention facility in Newark as protests outside the center intensified over Memorial Day weekend, sparking a fresh political clash over immigration enforcement and detention conditions.

Sherrill arrived at Delaney Hall alongside Sen. Andy Kim (D-New Jersey), where demonstrators gathered outside the facility, chanting “Let Sherrill in!” while federal agents guarded the entrance behind locked fencing topped with razor wire.

The Democratic governor’s attempt to enter the facility quickly drew criticism from the Department of Homeland Security, which accused her of politicizing the situation during an already tense standoff between protesters and law enforcement.

“Governor Sherrill’s visit to Delaney Hall is nothing more than a political stunt on Memorial Day when visitation is currently suspended due to riots outside the facility,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News.

Federal officials said tensions escalated Sunday when demonstrators blocked entrances and exits to the detention center. In a statement, the DHS spokesperson said, “Yesterday, approximately 125 agitators surrounded Delaney Hall Detention Facility, many carrying anti-ICE signs and Antifa flags. They formed a human chain around entrances to the facility and set up barricades, blocking all entries and exits.”

The protests come as detainees inside Delaney Hall reportedly continue a hunger and labor strike over alleged conditions at the facility. Immigration advocates and protesters have accused federal officials of limiting transparency and restricting public oversight inside the detention center.

Video posted to social media showed protesters seated across the roadway leading into the facility while others shouted “No more ICE!” toward officers stationed outside the entrance. Additional footage captured demonstrators projecting the phrase “Stand Up, Fight Back” onto the side of the building overnight.

Sherrill was denied entry after several New Jersey Democrats, including Kim and Rep. Rob Menendez Jr.(D-New Jersey), toured the facility over the weekend. The governor has not publicly responded to DHS criticism as of Monday evening.

Kim, speaking outside the facility Monday, said lawmakers were seeking “answers and accountability” regarding reports from detainees and advocates. The senator has repeatedly called for greater oversight of immigration detention operations in New Jersey.

The confrontation at Delaney Hall quickly spread across social media, where conservatives criticized Sherrill for appearing alongside anti-ICE demonstrators while immigrant rights advocates praised her effort to inspect the facility firsthand.

The protests in Newark reflect broader national divisions over immigration policy as demonstrations against ICE detention centers continue in cities across the country. Federal authorities have not confirmed whether arrests were made during the weekend demonstrations, and officials have released few details about the reported hunger strike inside the facility.