NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) — A man allegedly threatened to murder an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and his family during protests at the Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark, according to federal officials.
Nicholas Matthew Scelfo, 27, of Brooklyn, was identified by law enforcement in a video posted to social media in which he was seen screaming during one of the anti‑ICE protests on May 29: “I’ll kill your whole f—— family! Your whole f—— family is dead! Your children, your wife, all dead! I have your face, motherf—–! You’re dead! Dead!” toward the ICE officer, according to court documents.
Officials said Scelfo admitted to threatening to kill an officer and his family at the demonstration during an interview with law enforcement after his arrest on May 29.
“Calling for the murder of a federal law enforcement officer and his family is not speech safeguarded by the Constitution; it is a grave criminal offense that will not be tolerated,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas of Homeland Security Investigations of Newark said.
If convicted, Scelfo faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The anti‑ICE protests have drawn national attention at the Delaney Hall facility in New Jersey, with protesters traveling from out of state to show solidarity with the detainees. Many protesters say people inside the ICE facility are being treated poorly and are on a hunger strike.
Tensions have also remained high between both anti‑ICE and pro‑ICE demonstrators and law enforcement, with confrontations happening nearly daily since the beginning of the protests.
Nicole Alarcon is an award-winning digital content producer. She has covered local news for the tri-state area since 2021. She joined PIX11 News in 2026. See more of her work here.
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