NEWARK, NJ – In a dramatic escalation of tensions over immigration enforcement, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday, May 9, 2025, at Delaney Hall, a recently reopened immigration detention center in New Jersey. The arrest, which took place during a protest alongside Democratic members of Congress, has sparked widespread controversy and reignited debates over local-federal cooperation on immigration policy.
According to reports, Baraka was at Delaney Hall with Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Rob Menendez to conduct what they described as “federal oversight” of the facility. The mayor, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, had previously condemned ICE operations in Newark, including a January raid he claimed was conducted without a warrant. On Friday, Baraka was detained for trespassing after allegedly ignoring multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to leave the premises.
Alina Habba, the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and a former Trump attorney, announced the arrest on X, stating, “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. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. No one is above the law.”
Kabir Moss, spokesperson for Baraka’s gubernatorial campaign, confirmed that the mayor was taken to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office a few miles from Delaney Hall and remained in detention as of Friday evening. “We are actively monitoring and will provide more details as they become available,” Moss said in a statement. Baraka is currently running for the Democratic nomination for New Jersey governor, with the primary scheduled for next month.
The New Jersey Globe published a photograph showing Baraka being led away in handcuffs by officers in jackets marked “Police ICE.” Witnesses at the scene reported a “scuffle” prior to the arrest, though details remain unclear. Posts on X also suggested Baraka’s arrest was linked to his demand that ICE obtain a valid certificate of occupancy for the privately run detention center, operated by the GEO Group, which previous inspections had found non-compliant.
Newark, a sanctuary city, has long maintained policies limiting cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities. Baraka’s arrest comes amid heightened ICE activity under the Trump administration, which has prioritized mass deportations. In the first 50 days of Trump’s presidency, ICE reported 32,809 enforcement arrests nationwide, surpassing the total for all of fiscal year 2024.
Local leaders and immigration advocates swiftly condemned the arrest. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) stated he had “reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for answers.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, another critic of recent ICE operations, expressed solidarity, emphasizing the need to protect civil rights.
However, some federal officials defended the arrest. A Department of Homeland Security post on X argued, “Attacks and demonization of our brave law enforcement is wrong. ICE officers are now facing a 413% increase in assaults. President Trump campaigned on immigration enforcement, the American people voted for it, and DHS is delivering.”
Critics of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown argue that such high-profile arrests risk escalating tensions in communities already wary of federal overreach. Jason Houser, former ICE chief of staff under President Biden, noted that the focus on large-scale enforcement actions often overshadows public safety priorities.
As Baraka’s detention continues, the incident is likely to galvanize both supporters and opponents of stringent immigration policies. With the New Jersey gubernatorial primary looming, the arrest could reshape the race and further polarize the state’s political landscape.
