Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was taken into custody Friday after refusing to leave an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in the city, according to a report in The Hill..
“He has willingly chosen to disregard the law,” Alina Habba, interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, posted on X, emphasizing that “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.”
This detention marks another dramatic chapter in the tension between federal immigration enforcement and local governance. The incident happened when Baraka and three Democratic congressional representatives — Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver — tried to inspect the Delaney Hall ICE facility, which has become a flashpoint in immigration debates.
After Baraka was taken into custody, the Congressional representatives told the press that the facility is “safe and clean,” but they accused immigration agents of “roughing them up.” Congressman Menendez called it “an act of intimidation” and criticized what he said was federal agents operating without restraint.
The dispute centers on Delaney Hall’s legitimacy as an immigrant detention center. The Trump administration maintains the facility is crucial for detaining violent undocumented immigrants, while local officials, including Baraka, who is running for N.J. governor, argue proper permits haven’t been secured. Last month, Newark filed a lawsuit against ICE, claiming they were denied access to inspect the facility as required by municipal ordinances and state code.
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