Inside The Secret Signal Chats Fueling Anti-ICE Activity

A sprawling network of activist organizations has helped fuel the ongoing protests outside Delaney Hall, a federal immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, according to a Fox News Digital investigation that argues the demonstrations are part of a coordinated campaign rather than a spontaneous grassroots movement.

The report traces the latest wave of anti-ICE protests to June 3, when organizers used social media and encrypted messaging platforms to mobilize supporters outside the facility. An Instagram post declaring “CURFEW IS OVER. BACK TO DELANEY” circulated among activist circles, while discussions on Signal reportedly coordinated transportation, supplies, and logistics for demonstrators heading to the site.

Delaney Hall has emerged as one of the country’s most visible flashpoints in the debate over immigration enforcement. The facility reopened in 2025 under a federal contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, drawing immediate opposition from local activists, immigrant-rights organizations, and Democratic officials.

According to the investigation, roughly 100 organizations are involved in varying degrees with the movement surrounding Delaney Hall. The groups range from immigrant-rights advocates and faith-based organizations to progressive political groups and socialist organizations. Fox News Digital reported that together these organizations generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue.

The report also points to a communications strategy document known as the “Delaney Hall Creator Brief,” which allegedly provides activists with suggested language and messaging. According to the document, organizers are encouraged to describe the detention center in highly critical terms and frame detainees as victims of government overreach.

Critics of the movement argue that the protests are part of a broader effort to challenge federal immigration enforcement and influence public opinion through coordinated activism.

“These are manufactured strategic, calculated endeavors by an army of nonprofits meant to push subversive activity,” nonprofit expert and former U.S. Senate chief of staff Chuck Flint told Fox News Digital.

Supporters of the demonstrations, however, maintain that they are drawing attention to the treatment of detainees and conditions inside immigration facilities. Many groups involved have long advocated for immigration reform and reduced reliance on detention centers.