Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday after attempting to join a scheduled tour of a controversial ICE detention facility in New Jersey.
According to a statement by Alina Habba, Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Baraka was arrested for trespassing after ignoring “multiple warnings” to leave the premises of the ICE facility at 620 Frelinghuysen Ave. in Newark.
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Baraka’s office confirmed the arrest and said he was transported to an ICE field office. A formal statement read:
“We are actively monitoring and will provide more details as they become available.”
The confrontation reportedly erupted when Baraka attempted to enter Delaney Hall, an ICE facility operated by the private prison group The GEO Group, alongside New Jersey Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman.
Activists say the mayor was denied access despite attending the visit as part of his official oversight duties. Witnesses say a heated exchange ensued and quickly spiraled.
“There was yelling and pushing,” said Viri Martinez from the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. “Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka in handcuffs and drove him away in an unmarked car.”
The Department of Homeland Security claimed in a statement that a group of protesters, including two members of Congress, “stormed the gate” and compromised the facility’s security during a detainee transfer. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the incident, calling it “a bizarre political stunt” that endangered everyone inside.
“Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities,” she added. “Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated it.”
But Baraka and others say the visit was planned and necessary. Delaney Hall is the subject of ongoing scrutiny after the City of Newark filed a lawsuit demanding transparency on the number of detainees and better oversight. The facility reportedly costs taxpayers $63 million annually, and advocates have long raised red flags about its conditions, inspections, and capacity.
Speaking earlier this week, Baraka said the issues at Delaney Hall “go far beyond” permits and safety logs, suggesting the facility lacks transparency and accountability in how it detains immigrants.
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