A conservative watchdog group and The Daily Wire say police documents show Martin Soto was arrested in Kearny, New Jersey, on a domestic-violence-related assault charge before he was transferred to federal immigration custody—while his wife and some local coverage have described him as detained during a late-night errand to buy diapers.
Kearny, New Jersey, police arrested Martin Soto on Feb. 1, 2026, on a simple assault charge related to a domestic-violence incident, according to records described by The Daily Wire, which said it reviewed documents obtained by the Oversight Project. (dailywire.com)
The Daily Wire reported that a police report alleged Soto struck an unnamed female victim in the face with his hands, causing minor scratches and cuts, and later placed a hand over her mouth so she could not scream. The outlet said it could not independently confirm the victim’s identity. (dailywire.com)
According to The Daily Wire, Soto was then held in local custody and transferred through the Hudson County Correctional Center before being taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody on Feb. 2. (dailywire.com)
Public accounts of Soto’s detention have varied. In a Feb. 5, 2026, story, Daily Voice reported that Gabriela Soto said her husband was detained by ICE while walking home from a store after leaving to buy diapers, and that court records showed he had no prior arrests. (dailyvoice.com)
Gabriela Soto later became a prominent figure in demonstrations outside Delaney Hall, an ICE detention facility in Newark. In a Reuters video from May 27, 2026, she identified herself as Soto’s wife and said he was participating in a hunger strike, alleging he faced retaliation and describing an incident in which she said she saw him being forced into a van. (reutersconnect.com)
The Daily Wire also reported that Soto, a Peruvian national, crossed the U.S. border in Arizona in January 2024, was placed in expedited removal, then was allowed to remain after expressing fear of returning to his home country and was released from immigration custody by April 2024. (dailywire.com)
In its reporting, The Daily Wire cited Scott Mechkowski, identified as a visiting fellow at the Oversight Project, who said the arrest record showed Soto was arrested by Kearny police and then moved into federal custody. (dailywire.com)
Separately, media coverage and advocacy materials have documented ongoing protests and a broader hunger strike involving detainees at Delaney Hall, with Soto frequently referenced as a participant. (reutersconnect.com)
