Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was taken into custody on Friday afternoon after allegedly entering a federal immigration detention facility without permission, officials confirmed.
Alina Habba, the Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, posted on X that “The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon.”
According to a statement from the mayor’s office, Baraka was brought to the ICE field office located at 620 Frelinghuysen Avenue in Newark. Officials have yet to disclose what specific charges, if any, he will face.
“We are actively monitoring and will provide more details as they become available,” said his spokesperson.
Eyewitnesses say that Baraka tried to accompany a planned visit to the facility alongside three members of Congress from New Jersey: Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman. His attempt to enter the property was blocked by federal agents, which led to a tense verbal confrontation, according to Viri Martinez from the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice.
A video clip reviewed by The Associated Press captured an agent wearing a Homeland Security Investigations jacket telling Baraka he was not permitted to enter: “you are not a congress member.”
Following that, Baraka left the restricted area and returned to the protestors gathered outside the gate. In footage of the scene, he is seen speaking to a man through the fence. The man warned: “They’re talking about coming back to arrest you.” Baraka replied, “I’m not on their property. They can’t come out on the street and arrest me.”
Moments later, several ICE officers, some with their faces covered, approached Baraka and others near him outside the gate. Protesters shouted “Shame!” as the agents handcuffed the mayor and brought him back into the secure area.
“The ICE personnel came out aggressively to arrest him and grab him,” said Julie Moreno, who serves as New Jersey state captain for American Families United. “It didn’t make any sense why they chose that moment to grab him while he was outside the gates.”
A statement from the Department of Homeland Security said the situation escalated when a vehicle transporting detainees was pulling into the complex and “a group of protestors, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility.”
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the department, characterized the incident as “beyond a bizarre political stunt,” asserting it endangered both detainees and personnel.
“Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility,” said McLaughlin.
Homeland Security emphasized that the center complies with permitting requirements and has passed relevant inspections.
Baraka’s visit to the site was intended as a check on the conditions at Delaney Hall, a building now being used by ICE after a $63 million annual lease agreement with private prison operator The GEO Group. Newark city officials are suing to force additional inspections, alleging that ICE has withheld key information about how many individuals are being held at the facility, which is only designed to hold up to 1,000 detainees.
Speaking earlier this week, Baraka said that his concerns regarding Delaney Hall involve more than just paperwork and regulatory oversight.
{Matzav.com}
No one is above the law, although Hillary claimed that “laws are for peasants”. B”H she was dealt with many years ago.