Sen. Andy Kim was pepper-sprayed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during a visit to an immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, where protests and demonstrations were taking place outside.

The incident occurred as Democratic lawmakers attempted an oversight visit to Delaney Hall, where detainees have reportedly been protesting conditions including food, treatment, and due process concerns.

Videos showed clashes between officers and protesters, with authorities using pepper spray and other crowd-control measures while some demonstrators were detained or restrained.

Kim said he witnessed “chaos” and criticized ICE’s response, calling the facility’s conditions a failure and urging it be shut down, The Hill has reported.

The Department of Homeland Security disputed parts of the account, while officials and protesters continued to clash over access and the nature of the demonstrations.