Newark’s Mayor Ras Baraka was handcuffed in a brazen clash with federal agents at an ICE detention center, Fox News reported.
On May 2, 2025, Baraka was arrested for trespassing at the Delaney Hall facility in Newark, New Jersey, while attempting to join three Democratic congressmen for an oversight visit, escalating tensions over the facility’s operations.
The incident, which sparked protests and political finger-pointing, highlighted New Jersey’s ongoing battle against private immigration detention centers.
Baraka, charged with trespassing, was released hours later on May 2. He insisted, “We didn’t do anything wrong,” but federal agents saw it differently. Trespassing on secure property isn’t a free pass, even for mayors.
U.S. Reps. Rob Menendez Jr., Bonnie Watson Coleman, and LaMonica McIver, all New Jersey Democrats, were present but not arrested, despite DHS claims they rushed the gates when an ICE bus entered.
Protesters swarmed the DHS Newark office that evening, chanting and banging on gates to demand Baraka’s release.
Gov. Phil Murphy, who signed a 2021 law banning private immigration detention centers, called the arrest “unjust.” His outrage seems selective when state laws butt heads with federal authority.
Newark’s April 1, 2025, lawsuit against GEO Group, Delaney Hall’s new owner, alleged unpermitted renovations and blocked safety inspections. DHS countered that the facility has valid permits and passed inspections.
Baraka, at a May 5 press conference, accused GEO Group of flouting laws, saying they “run roughshod over the Constitution.” Noble words, but laws apply to everyone, including mayors.
Delaney Hall houses serious offenders, including alleged killers, child rapists, and MS-13 members like Chinchilla Caballero, arrested April 29, 2025. Baraka’s push to “oversee” this facility raises questions about priorities.
DHS stated, “Members of Congress are not above the law,” noting a tour could’ve been arranged. Watson Coleman’s claim that “ICE is out of control” sounds hollow when you’re dodging proper channels.
Rep. McIver lamented, “The lack of transparency… is unacceptable.” Transparency’s great, but so is following security protocols.
New Jersey GOP Chairman Bob Hugin called it “political theater,” noting Baraka’s gubernatorial run. Sen. Cory Booker dubbed the arrest “disturbing,” but storming federal facilities isn’t exactly community-building.
Rep. Menendez Jr. claimed ICE “put their hands on” congressmen, but no arrests followed, suggesting a targeted response to Baraka’s actions. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s “federal overreach” gripe ignores who crossed the line first.
White House spokesman Kush Desai hit the nail on the head: Democrats are “prioritizing illegal aliens over American citizens.” Time to ditch the grandstanding and respect the rule of law.
