Newark Mayor arrested for trespassing after protesting at ICE detention facility in New Jersey

Newark Democratic Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on Friday outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in New Jersey, where he was protesting its opening. 

Baraka, who has been fighting the Trump administration on illegal immigration, has been protesting outside the facility this week, where he has claimed the building should not open because of permit issues.

Interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba confirmed the arrest in a post on X, stating that the mayor was trespassing and ignored multiple warnings from the Department of Homeland Security.

"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," she posted. "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."

The department said two members of New Jersey's congressional delegation were also part of the stunt, but it is not clear if the two lawmakers have been arrested. They have been identified as Reps. Robert Menendez Jr. and Bonnie Watson Coleman.

"In a bizarre political stunt, as a bus of detainees entered the security gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center, a group of protestors, including 2 members of US Congress, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility," assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a post on X.

"This illegal breaking and entering of a detention facility puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and the detainees at risk," she continued. " Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities."

McLaughlin said the situation is still evolving. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.