Cathy was on the phone with Mikie Sherrill and she had a blunt question.

Why were state troopers allowed to attack non-violent protesters at Delaney Hall?
A few minutes later, another caller, a state employee no less, spoke of state police "brutality" and accused the governor of "lying."

For Sherrill, Wednesday evening's Ask the Governor show on radio station WNYC had some rough moments.
Her appearance came just a few days after regular protests at the Delaney Hall immigrant detention center in Newark ratcheted up last weekend. That prompted a 9 p.m. curfew and at times violent interactions between state troopers and protesters.

The topic consumed about 30 minutes of the hour show and Sherrill kept her composure throughout.
She said she feared and wanted to avoid a "Minneapolis style response" from ICE officers as reports circulated of a hunger strike and poor treatment of detainees.

To that end, the governor said she sent in state troopers because she wanted to make sure ICE officers did not confront protesters.

Tensions were already high and they got a bit higher last Saturday when a pro-ICE rally by America First Republicans of New Jersey was held. Sherrill called it a "Proud Boys" rally.

Barricades were sent up in the middle of Doremus Avenue to keep pro and anti-ICE demonstrators apart from each other.

Things were calm during the day, but at night, Sherrill said troopers were attacked with projectiles and protesters tried to move the barricades.

So, "the state police had to move them (protesters) away," the governor said.

One caller said the state police acted like ICE officers.
"I would disagree," Sherrill said, contending that in Minneapolis, ICE officers routinely beat protesters and, in fact, two people were fatally shot.

As the governor noted, things have calmed down.

The Newark Police are now handling crowd control outside the detention center and the curfew has been lifted. Sherrill also said that family visitation rights have been restored and more generally, spoke of striking a balance between public safety and constitutional rights.

Asked by program host Michael Hill if this episode could adversely impact how people view her administration, she said she hoped not. But she added that politics does not affect  how she handles the situation.

The governor tried to visit Delaney Hall last month, but was denied. But she is not giving up.
"I just re-upped that request (Wednesday) morning," she said.