NEWARK - Mike Crispi and his colleagues began the day picking up garbage and shoving it into large trash bags.

There was a political point to be made. So said Crispi, a founder of the America First Republicans of New Jersey, the state's premier MAGA group.

He blamed the "lefty protesters" for discarding garbage all around Delaney Hall, an ICE detention center on Doremus Avenue near the city's airport. And like good stewards of the earth, MAGA Republicans were cleaning things up.

Officially, this was billed as a rally to support ICE and the immigration policies of President Trump. And it was meant as a counterbalance to ongoing protests outside the facility.

"We are peaceful. We are patriotic," Crispi yelled through a bullhorn on a cloudy Saturday morning.

He said Trump is the most popular Republican in New Jersey.

That can be true, but it may not be good news. The president's approval ratings nationwide are barely 40 percent, so if he is the most popular Republican in New Jersey, where does leave the rest of the GOP?

Crispi's enthusiasm, notwithstanding, this was not a large turnout. When he said, "Let's hear it for ICE officers," there were more boos and jeers from a crowd that was now surrounding the MAGA group.

Crispi and his followers set up shop just outside Delaney Hall, an imposing structure surrounded by a high wire fence. There could not have been more than 25 of them.

A larger crowd of anti-ICE protesters was across the street, holding signs, chanting about immigrant rights, and naturally, exchanging insults with the MAGA group.

Demonstrations against the ICE facility and its alleged, inhumane conditions have been ongoing for months. About 100 yards or so down the block from today's drama, a hospitality tent of sorts has been set up. Its main focus appears to be to offer comfort and support for relatives of detainees.

Another speaker was Joseph Belnome, a Republican who ran against then Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill in 2024 in CD-11.

He said he was a bit puzzled why supporting ICE is not a more pressing issue for New Jersey Republicans.

"Maybe, they're scared to be here. I don't know," he said.

Crispi said it's the America First Republicans who "set the tone." So, more will follow, or so he hopes.

One of the prevailing thoughts among the pro-Trump crowd is that those here illegally are voting for Democrats.

As Belnome put it, the Dems have their "constituents in there."

This is pure fiction, as various studies and basic common sense suggests. Elections in New Jersey are overseen by boards of elections in every county. And every board has equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats.

No matter. The argument persists.

Belnome wondered how Sherrill would do without alleged support from illegal voters. Just for the record, Sherrill won the governor's race last year by almost 500,000 votes.

There was a changing police presence on the street. At first, police just watched. Then, metal barriers were placed in the middle of the street to keep both the pro and anti-ICE protesters away from each other.

Even before that, there was no violence or altercations - other than the verbal kind.

People, or small groups of people, came face to face, hurling insults and curses at each other.

The police did block off the street to traffic. And at the nearest intersection, a flashing electric sign read:

"Stay Safe Protest Peacefully."