On what planet do ICE agents fire tear gas at a United States senator?

Um, that would be this planet, I guess.

Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, was trying to play a mediating role between protestors and a hunger strike being conducted at the ICE detention center, Delaney Hall, in Newark.

Kim was allowed in only after calling Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, a former Senate colleague. 

Here’s what Kim described on Facebook:

“18-year-old high school student crying and saying she just wanted to graduate senior year.”

“Woman who had a miscarriage and left to manage all on her own.”

“Mom not allowed to spend more than a few minutes with 4-month-old baby.”

It went on in that vein.

“Our government should focus on helping Americans afford their lives, not lock people up in for-profit detention centers,” he said.

Outside, the senator positioned himself between ICE agents and the demonstrators, holding up his arms, according to NJ.com. The agents fired their chemical irritants anyway, hitting Kim and many in the crowd. Medics were later photographed washing out Kim’s eyes.

New Jersey’s new governor, Democrat Mikie Sherrill, showed up and was refused entry to the detention center.

“What I heard from them was heartbreaking,” Sherill said, referring to family members and advocates.

What are these people trying to hide, anyway? Turning away the state’s governor?

Sherill said she has heard from relatives of detainees who have complained about spoiled food and lack of medical care.

RELATED: MARKWAYNE MULLIN GOES OFF ON DEMS’ ‘GARBAGE’ MEMORIAL DAY ‘POLITICAL STUNT’ AT ICE FACILITY

Mullin accused Sherill, Cory Booker and other Jersey Democrats of “smearing ICE law enforcement” and said there was no hunger strike or substandard conditions at the center. “They should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these murderers, pedophiles, rapists and drug traffickers from their state.”

After the tragic fatal shootings of two American citizens, ICE has been out of the news for a while. That was the goal of Mullin, who said he would keep a low profile, in marked contrast to his fired predecessor, Kristi Noem.

He has also adopted some reforms, such as requiring agents to obtain a search warrant before entering a home, which would have avoided several embarrassing episodes of wrong addresses and mistaken identities.

As Mullin said at his confirmation hearing in March, “My goal in six months is that we’re not in the lead story every single day.” The White House wants to play down the volatile issue heading into the midterms.

A major problem has been poorly trained agents who were allowed to join the force with a shortened 47-day training program. Mullin restored the standard 72-day curriculum.

Look, most ICE agents are trying to do a dangerous job under difficult conditions. Hundreds of people have been charged with assaulting or impeding a federal officer.

What makes matters worse are claims that some ICE agents haven’t received their full paychecks or a promised $50,000 sign-up bonus.

I’m not wild about for-profit detention centers, but what choice do they have? There aren’t enough prison cells to hold all these detainees. Delaney Hall, for instance, holds up to 1,000 of them.

An attorney says 74 cases were assigned to one judge on a single day.

But substandard care is unacceptable. We often hear the phrase “no one is above the law.”

If ICE was proud of these facilities, why are they blocking people like the governor from coming in? We talk about inspections of Iranian nuclear development — why isn’t Delaney Hall open for top elected officials to see how taxpayer dollars are being spent inside? Federal and state prisons are inspected all the time.

This should be a requirement for anyone running these places. And they’ve obviously got plenty that they want to keep secret. 

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer shortly after departing the Department of Justice last month, according to a report.

Bondi, 60, who left her role at the Justice Department in early April, underwent treatment and is recovering, a source told Axios.

Katie Miller, a former White House staffer and podcast host who is married to White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, reposted the report on X Tuesday evening.

“Pam has been quietly kicking cancer’s ass the last few weeks,” she wrote.

PAM BONDI CANCELS APPEARANCE AT ANTI-TRAFFICKING SUMMIT OVER MEDICAL ISSUE

She added that Bondi has “a heart of gold.”

Axios disclosed the health update while reporting that Bondi has been appointed by President Donald Trump to an advisory committee focused on artificial intelligence policy.

According to the report, Bondi is expected to serve on the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

AG PAM BONDI SUGGESTS TRUMP’S CRIME CRACKDOWN IN DC WILL HELP LATINO RESIDENTS

The council is co-chaired by White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks and White House science adviser Michael Kratsios.

Bondi will reportedly help facilitate coordination between the federal government and technology executives serving on the panel.

News of Bondi’s diagnosis and new advisory role comes weeks after Trump removed her as attorney general.

KARL ROVE: TRUMP DROPPED BONDI, BUT THE REAL POLITICAL FIGHT IS JUST BEGINNING

In a Truth Social post announcing her departure, Trump described Bondi as “a Great American Patriot and a loyal friend.”

“Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our Country, with Murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900,” Trump wrote. “We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future.” 

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has served as acting attorney general since Bondi’s departure.

BLANCHE INVOKES TRUMP ‘LOVE’ WHEN ASKED ABOUT STAYING ON AFTER BONDI

In a post on X confirming her exit from the Justice Department, Bondi said she remains “eternally grateful for the trust that President Trump placed in me to Make America Safe Again.”

“Over the next month I will be working tirelessly to transition the office of Attorney General to the amazing Todd Blanche before moving to an important private sector role I am thrilled about, and where I will continue fighting for President Trump and this Administration,” Bondi wrote.

“Leading President Trump’s historic and highly successful efforts to make America safer and more secure has been the honor of a lifetime, and easily the most consequential first year of the Department of Justice in American history,” she added. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and Justice Department for comment.

All evacuation orders stemming from a hazardous materials incident at a Southern California aerospace facility were lifted Tuesday night, allowing thousands of residents to return home.

Officials lifted the final evacuation order for residents in Garden Grove living near a damaged chemical tank at GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems that had previously been at risk of exploding.

Authorities said roughly 50,000 people were ordered to evacuate in and around the Orange County city after a tank containing highly flammable methyl methacrylate (MMA) overheated and became compromised.

“All residents will go home,” Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey said during a meeting.

DISNEYLAND REMAINS OPEN AS EVACUATION ZONE SHRINKS AROUND CHEMICAL TANK SCARE

Over Memorial Day weekend, a crack unexpectedly formed in the tank, relieving pressure and helping avert a catastrophic explosion, allowing most evacuees to return home. Still, roughly 16,000 residents remained under evacuation orders heading into Tuesday.

Crews continued spraying water on the tank until the interior temperature stabilized at 92 degrees, down from 100 degrees over the weekend.

A sprinkler system also doused the tank while company specialists and firefighters removed insulation to help cool it.

COMMERCIAL BUILDING EXPLODES IN NEW JERSEY, MULTIPLE PEOPLE INJURED AND REMAIN IN CRITICAL CONDITION

Authorities said evacuation orders were lifted after the tank’s temperature remained stable for four hours without assistance from the sprinkler system.

While health officials have assured residents that monitoring had not detected hazardous levels of contamination or fumes, authorities said they will continue monitoring air quality, sewer systems and storm drains for several months.

Exposure to MMA can cause serious respiratory problems, neurological issues, and irritation to the skin, eyes and throat, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

WORKERS KILLED AND MANY TREATED AFTER REFINERY CHEMICAL RELEASE AS INVESTIGATORS PROBE CAUSE

Garden Grove Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein said she plans to hold the company accountable.

GKN said in a statement Tuesday that it was continuing to work closely with authorities.

“We apologize for the ongoing disruption this incident is causing, and our priority remains the safety of our neighbors and our community,” the statement said.

Residents at the meeting questioned why large quantities of the chemical were stored near homes and urged city officials to scrutinize the company’s safety practices.

SHOCKING VIDEO SHOWS GIANT BLACK PLUME OF SMOKE RISING FROM TENNESSEE PLASTIC RECYCLING FACILITY FIRE

Crews had been racing to prevent a catastrophic failure since Thursday, when officials responded to vapor releasing from a in a storage tank at the facility, which manufactures engine structures and products for commercial and military aircraft.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday as crews shifted from defensive containment operations to high-risk offensive actions aimed at preventing an explosion.

Orange County Fire Authority Chief TJ McGovern told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday the crisis was likely caused by the failure of a cooling system designed to regulate the temperature inside the chemical tanks, though officials were still investigating.

He said the malfunction may have caused heat to build inside a pressurized tank containing 7,000 gallons of MMA.

“We don’t know why, but it stopped cooling,” McGovern said. “So that’s what started this event, to where the product heated up … and that’s how this whole response started. We’re just now being able to get to the tanks, so there’s definitely more to come of what caused it.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.