“Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested During Protest at ICE Facility”
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday while protesting the newly opened Delaney Hall federal immigration detention center. He was held for several hours and released around 8 p.m. Baraka was charged with trespassing after allegedly ignoring multiple orders to leave the facility grounds.
Upon release, Baraka declined to discuss the case, citing legal advice, but expressed continued support for his community, including undocumented residents. “All of us here, every last one of us, I don’t care what background you come from, what nationality, what language you speak—at some point we have to stop these people from causing division between us,” he said.
Baraka, a Democrat and declared candidate to succeed term-limited Governor Phil Murphy, has been a vocal opponent of the facility, arguing it lacks appropriate building permits and represents an overreach in federal immigration enforcement.
According to a statement from Alina Habba, interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Baraka was arrested for trespassing at the facility, which is operated by the private prison company Geo Group. “Mayor Baraka chose to disregard the law,” Habba said in a statement posted to social media.
Video footage of the incident shows Baraka returning to the public side of the facility gate before being detained. Witnesses reported a tense encounter as Baraka attempted to accompany U.S. Representatives Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman during an unannounced visit to the facility. Activist Viri Martinez described a confrontation with federal officials that escalated before officers detained the mayor.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement claiming a group of protesters, including two members of Congress, “stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility.” However, Representative Watson Coleman disputed that account, stating the visit was intended to exercise congressional oversight. Her spokesperson emphasized that the lawmakers were eventually permitted to inspect the facility without incident.
Additional video provided to the Associated Press shows a Homeland Security official telling Baraka he could not enter the facility because he was not a member of Congress. Baraka then moved to the public side of the gate, where he was later handcuffed and taken into custody by ICE agents. Protesters nearby shouted, “Shame,” as Baraka was escorted away.
Civil rights groups and several public officials condemned the arrest. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, whose office is currently defending a state law banning private immigration detention centers, criticized the federal action during what he described as a peaceful protest. No state or local law enforcement agencies were involved in the arrest.
Rep. Menendez said ICE had attempted to “intimidate everyone involved” and obstruct congressional oversight throughout the visit.
The Delaney Hall facility, adjacent to a county prison, was previously used as a halfway house. In February, ICE awarded a 15-year, $1 billion contract to The Geo Group to operate the center. The company announced the facility began intake on May 1 and expects it to generate more than $60 million annually.
The contract is part of a broader initiative under the Trump administration to expand immigration detention capacity nationwide. Geo Group stated the facility is fully permitted and has passed all necessary inspections.