Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor, was arrested on Friday. He attempted to enter a federal immigration detention facility in Newark during an unannounced visit by three members of Congress.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detained Baraka outside Delaney Hall. This privately operated detention centre is located in Newark. Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Robert Menendez Jr. were also present. According to Coleman’s spokesperson, Ned Cooper, the representatives were jostled during the incident, though no injuries occurred.
Dispute over access and lawmakers’ oversight role
Alina Habba, the acting US attorney and a former lawyer for Donald Trump, commented on social media. She said Baraka had trespassed and ignored repeated warnings to leave.
Baraka’s office has not commented on the incident. It remains unclear whether officials will file any charges. ICE later moved Baraka to another detention facility in Newark.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, offered a different account. A spokesperson said the lawmakers and demonstrators tried to enter Delaney Hall as a bus carrying detainees arrived. DHS criticised the visit, calling it a “bizarre political stunt” that endangered staff and detainees.
Cooper disagreed. He said the visit fell under the lawmakers’ oversight responsibilities. According to him, ICE was obligated to let them in. He also said claims that the representatives tried to storm the facility were false.
Cooper noted that Baraka stayed outside the fence during the incident. He added that the mayor had been visiting the area frequently in recent days.
Lawmakers allowed entry after standoff
Cooper confirmed that the lawmakers did not coordinate the visit with Baraka. They were not part of the nearby protest. He said guards initially denied them entry, even after escorting them through the gate.
While speaking with officers, the lawmakers saw a crowd forming around Baraka. A scuffle followed, and ICE officers arrested him.
Officials later allowed the lawmakers inside the detention facility. They left approximately three hours after they arrived.
McIver later posted a video on social media. She defended Baraka, saying he “did nothing wrong” and called the incident “unacceptable.”
Criticism of detention centre operations
Baraka is running in a crowded Democratic primary. The vote is scheduled for next month.
Delaney Hall houses around 1,000 detainees. The GEO Group, a private prison company, operates the facility. Activists and elected officials have raised concerns about its legality. They allege the detention centre opened without proper city permits and against community opposition.
DHS denied these claims. It said the facility houses individuals with serious criminal histories, including alleged gang members.
The GEO Group has not responded to requests for comment.
