Newark Mayor Arrested Protesting Immigration Detention Center \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested while protesting the opening of a federal immigration detention center operated by GEO Group. Baraka attempted to join a congressional tour but was denied entry, leading to a confrontation with federal officials. His arrest intensifies his ongoing opposition to Trump-era immigration expansion plans.
Quick Looks
- Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark was arrested Friday at the GEO-run Delaney Hall immigration detention center.
- The facility, recently approved under a $1 billion ICE contract, has sparked local and political opposition.
- U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said Baraka trespassed after ignoring Homeland Security warnings to leave the premises.
- The incident occurred as Baraka tried to join three House Democrats—Reps. Menendez, McIver, and Watson Coleman—on a tour.
- Eyewitnesses reported a heated confrontation followed by a forceful arrest, including one activist being thrown to the ground.
- Baraka, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, has strongly opposed the facility over building permit disputes.
- DHS claims the protest breached security and endangered both detainees and officers.
- Baraka’s campaign and mayoral office have yet to issue a detailed statement.
- The facility is part of Trump’s expanded immigration detention strategy, increasing ICE bed capacity nationwide.
- Baraka had previously sued GEO Group, citing concerns over legality and community impact.
Deep Look
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on Friday outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center, escalating a week-long standoff over the facility’s opening. The two-story center, newly contracted to private prison operator GEO Group Inc., is at the heart of a political and legal battle involving local leadership, federal immigration enforcement, and broader debates around detention policy.
Baraka, a Democrat and current gubernatorial candidate, has vocally opposed the detention center’s construction, alleging it lacks valid permits and threatens public safety. The facility is designed to hold up to 1,000 immigration detainees and sits adjacent to a county prison in Newark. It previously operated as a halfway house before receiving a 15-year, $1 billion federal contract from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in February. The contract aligns with former President Donald Trump’s directive to dramatically expand the number of detention beds across the country.
Baraka’s arrest occurred when he attempted to enter the facility alongside three Democratic members of Congress—Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman—during a scheduled site tour. According to Viri Martinez, an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, federal agents denied Baraka entry, triggering a confrontation that spiraled into chaos.
“There was yelling and pushing,” Martinez said. “Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka in handcuffs and placed him in an unmarked vehicle.”
Alina Habba, interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, confirmed the arrest in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that Baraka had trespassed and refused to comply with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) directives. “He chose to disregard the law,” Habba said.
The DHS issued its own sharply worded statement, claiming Baraka and other protestors “stormed the gate” as a detainee bus arrived. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin described the action as “beyond a bizarre political stunt,” accusing those involved of compromising security and safety at the facility.
“Members of Congress are not above the law,” McLaughlin added, suggesting the representatives could have received a tour through official channels. DHS insists that the detention center meets all regulatory requirements and has passed the necessary inspections.
Baraka’s arrest is the latest in a series of escalating actions. Since the February announcement of GEO Group’s contract, Baraka has taken legal action, filing suit against the company and arguing the facility was approved without proper local consultation or permits. His protest at Delaney Hall reflects both a legal challenge and symbolic resistance to a broader immigration policy shift.
Critics of the detention center highlight GEO Group’s controversial history in managing private prisons and immigration facilities, citing past human rights concerns, inadequate healthcare, and lack of oversight. The facility’s size and long-term contract have further fueled tensions, particularly in a heavily immigrant city like Newark.
Despite repeated inquiries, Baraka’s mayoral office has not released a formal statement, and his gubernatorial campaign spokesperson, Kabir Moss, said only that they are “actively monitoring” the situation and will provide updates.
The optics of a sitting mayor and gubernatorial candidate being detained by federal agents over an immigration protest place Baraka in a national spotlight, turning his political resistance into a potentially galvanizing moment for progressive activists and immigrant rights advocates.
Meanwhile, federal officials remain firm in defending the detention center, viewing it as a legal and necessary component of national immigration enforcement infrastructure.
As Baraka awaits legal proceedings, the incident underscores the intensifying conflict between local autonomy and federal immigration power—a fight that may shape not just Baraka’s political future, but the public’s view on how America handles immigration detention moving forward.
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