Man arrested after threatening ICE officer and family at New Jersey protest

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said Friday that a man who made death threats against a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and his family at a protest in New Jersey Thursday night had been arrested.

The arrest came hours after Blanche said on Fox News that the man, who was captured on video, would be found and arrested. "That's a federal crime," Blanche said. "Not only threatening the ICE officer — but think about how disgusting this individual is by threatening his wife and his children with death."

In the video, the protester can be heard saying: "I will kill your whole f---ing family. Your whole f---ing family is dead. Your children and wife all dead. I have your face mother---er! All dead!"

Blanche said the officer was just doing his job and "standing there."

On Friday evening, Blanche wrote on X: "Told you. @FBI just arrested the man who threatened to kill ICE officers and their families. FAFO."

The man has not been identified.

The clash occurred Thursday evening outside Newark's Delaney Hall detention center. Protesters were accused of biting, kicking and punching agents. Agents responded by deploying pepper spray and pushing back agitators as the protest continued into its sixth night.

Nine rioters were arrested during the clashes Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News Digital.

About 100 protesters gathered around the detention center, chanting "F--- ICE" and carrying black umbrellas, gas masks and other gear to protect themselves from pepper spray.

On Wednesday evening, DHS reported that about 100 anti-ICE protesters gathered around the Delaney Hall ICE facility. While rioters assaulted and threw objects at law enforcement, DHS said "local police refused to help our officers." Six rioters were arrested Wednesday night for allegedly assaulting law enforcement officers.

"We called local police, we called state police multiple times. Listen, I know the law enforcement there would love to respond, but because of Governor Sherrill's behavior what the governor is doing, she's not allowing public officers and state officers to respond," Sen. Markwayne Mullin said during a Thursday morning appearance on Fox & Friends.

Demonstrations over conditions for detainees began Friday, May 22, after detainees wrote an open letter claiming they were being denied access to medical care, being insufficiently fed and detained without due process. DHS has denied those claims.