Newark mayor ras baraka arrested for storming ice facility
- Ras Baraka was arrested for trespassing at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark.
- He was part of a protest alongside Democratic Congress members, aimed at conducting oversight of the facility.
- The incident has raised political tensions and debates surrounding immigration policies in New Jersey.
In Newark, New Jersey, Ras Baraka, the mayor and a Democratic candidate for governor, was arrested on May 8, 2025, during a protest against the opening of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. Accompanied by three Democratic members of Congress, Baraka attempted to access the detention facility known as Delaney Hall, asserting that their visit was a means of oversight to ensure compliance with local ordinances. However, after being warned multiple times to leave the premises, Baraka was taken into custody by federal authorities. The protests involved various local residents and immigrant rights groups, reflecting widespread anger towards federal immigration policies and the conditions in detention centers. Following the arrest, state officials, including Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, expressed their outrage, claiming that such peaceful protests should not lead to arrests. They emphasized the critical nature of protecting civil rights and highlighted ongoing legal challenges against private immigration detention facilities in New Jersey. The incident has sparked a wider debate about immigration enforcement, public safety, and the role of local officials in immigration policy, especially in a political climate increasingly marked by rising tensions over the treatment of migrants.