Mayor’s Arrest at ICE Facility Caught on Video
Newark’s Democratic Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested after reportedly trespassing at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center in Newark, New Jersey. The incident was filmed and has attracted attention online.
Baraka accused the facility of violating local laws, criticizing it for insufficient safety inspections and a lack of proper permits. During the confrontation, he expressed concerns about the center’s operations.
“It’s not acceptable under this state’s laws. He’s now in custody. No one is above the law,” said Alina Haba, a legal representative for the area. She shared details about the incident via her social media.
Haba noted that Baraka ignored several warnings from Homeland Security to leave the site. She emphasized that breaking the law has consequences, regardless of one’s position.
Baraka, who is also pursuing the Democratic nomination for governor of New Jersey, stated that his aim was to gain access to the detention center.
“We’re trying to go in today,” he said, adding, “It doesn’t matter who’s inside. There are detainees, sure, but they shouldn’t be there. We want transparency.”
He further claimed that officials at the detention center were uncooperative even when emergency responders needed to conduct inspections.
“The fire department wants to inspect the facility at any time, but they are being denied entry,” Baraka stated. “They were here yesterday, but we weren’t allowed in. Now, here I am.”
The GEO Group, which operates the facility, denied Baraka’s claims, suggesting that the incident was more of a publicity stunt than a genuine concern.
