Mayor of Newark, New Jersey’s largest city, Ras Baraka, was arrested on Friday during a protest at a migrant detention facility, sparking political tension and public outrage in the state. Baraka, a Democrat and vocal critic of the facility, was taken into custody for allegedly trespassing at the Delaney Hall detention centre, operated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to acting US Attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, Baraka “ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security agents to remove himself from the premises” before being arrested. He was later charged with one count of trespassing.
Baraka was joined by three Democratic members of Congress — Rob Menendez Jr, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and LaMonica McIver — who said they were conducting oversight to ensure the facility was safe and in compliance with city laws. The lawmakers were not arrested.
Baraka, who is also running for governor of New Jersey, defended his actions in a CNN interview, saying he was fulfilling his duty as an elected official. “We didn’t do anything wrong. I was there to speak with the media and to support the oversight visit,” he said.
Video clips posted online show a tense scene outside the detention centre as officers clashed with protesters. In the footage, Baraka is seen being warned several times by law enforcement officers before being led away in handcuffs.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed the group “stormed the gate” as a bus carrying undocumented migrants was arriving. DHS said the protest endangered both the safety of law enforcement and the detainees inside the facility.
Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey expressed anger over the arrest. “I am outraged. Mayor Baraka should never have been treated this way for standing up for his community,” he said.
This incident is the latest in an ongoing battle over the use of Delaney Hall as a migrant holding facility. Earlier this year, the City of Newark filed a lawsuit attempting to stop ICE from using the centre. City officials said the private company running the centre signed a contract with ICE without getting proper city permits and blocked local safety inspections.
The company, however, claims it has all required permits, and the DHS maintains that the facility has passed all necessary inspections.
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman posted on social media that they were present to ensure the facility was operating lawfully. “We’re at Delaney Hall, an ICE prison in Newark that opened without permission from the city and in violation of local ordinances,” she said.
McIver also defended Baraka, saying he had already left the gate area when he was arrested.
The incident comes amid heightened enforcement of immigration policies, as US federal agencies ramp up deportations and border security measures, a key part of former President Donald Trump’s campaign promises.
Baraka was released from custody a few hours after his arrest and received a warm welcome from supporters waiting outside the detention centre. He vowed to continue pushing for transparency and justice in how migrant detainees are treated.
