Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested for trespass at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in New Jersey. The arrest occurred as Democratic members of Congress, including Bonnie Watson Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Rob Menendez, were attempting to conduct a visit for federal oversight at the controversial facility. Acting US Attorney Alina Habba reported Baraka’s arrest at Delaney Hall, emphasizing that no one is above the law.
Kabir Moss, spokesperson for the Baraka for Governor campaign, confirmed that the mayor was taken into custody and remained detained at a Customs and Border Protection office nearby. The incident, captured in a photo published by the New Jersey Globe, showed Baraka being led away in handcuffs by officers marked as “Police Ice” following a reported scuffle.
The visit by the Congress members aimed to shed light on the conditions inside the ICE detention center, which has faced accusations of reopening in violation of local ordinances and permits. The facility, the largest of its kind in the northeastern US, resumed operations after the start of Trump’s second term in January.
Coleman, in a tweet, expressed the delegation’s intent to exercise oversight authority by firsthand inspection of the facility. Video footage accompanying the tweet depicted the Congress members engaging with employees on the center’s grounds and facing threats of arrest for trespass from uniformed officials.
The unfolding events underscore a clash between political figures seeking transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement and the legal actions taken against those attempting to scrutinize ICE operations. Further updates on the situation are expected to follow.
