New Jersey Reacts After Ras Baraka Arrested Outside ICE Prison

NEWARK, NJ — The controversial arrest of a New Jersey mayor is sparking a debate in the Garden State.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested at a protest outside a new detention facility in Newark on Friday. He has since been released from custody, reports say.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced plans to reopen Delaney Hall earlier this year. The 1,000-bed facility is the first federal detention center to open under President Donald Trump’s second term. It is run by the GEO Group, one of the largest private prison companies in the world. The move allows ICE to expand its detention and deportation capacity in the Northeast region of the country.

Baraka – a candidate for New Jersey governor – has been a vocal critic of the detention center, alleging that ICE opened the prison without the proper permits and is refusing to allow city inspectors inside the building.

>> Read More: NJ Mayor Arrested Protesting Controversial New ICE Detention Facility

Opinions have been split on the legitimacy of Baraka’s arrest.

Gov. Phil Murphy called the arrest “unjust.”

“Four years ago, I was proud to sign a law banning private immigration detention centers in New Jersey,” Murphy said. “And just last week, my administration was leading the fight to defend that law before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.”

“Mayor Baraka is an exemplary public servant who has always stood up for our most vulnerable neighbors,” the governor added. “I am calling for his immediate release by federal law enforcement.”

Meanwhile, Alina Habba, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, accused Baraka of trespassing and ignoring multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the scene.

“He has willingly chosen to disregard the law,” the Trump-appointed federal prosecutor said. “That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody.”

“No one is above the law,” Habba insisted.

Here’s what some other elected officials, pundits and advocates had to say in the wake of Baraka’s arrest:

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker – “As mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka has a responsibility to ensure that facilities operating in the city are adhering to laws that protect the safety and wellbeing of occupants and residents. This incident is disturbing, unnecessary and indicative of tactics that are undermining the safety and security of our communities, not adding to it. Law enforcement officers should have deescalated this situation. Mayor Baraka should be immediately released. Moreover, the Trump administration’s decision to reopen Delaney Hall, a private, for-profit prison in our community, should have never gone forward. New Jersey deserves better and the Trump administration continues to take actions to undermine the wellbeing of our residents.”

U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew – “What we saw today is beyond unacceptable. These elected officials, who swore to uphold the laws of this country, chose to break into a federal detention center, alongside protesters. For months now, I have spoken out against Mayor Baraka's effort to block the opening of this detention center but today, we reached a breaking point. It was a direct attack on the rule of law. People in New Jersey are paying some of the highest taxes in the country, only to see that money used to fund illegal immigration as part of the state's sanctuary policies. We are tired of it. No one is above the law. And when elected officials act as if they are, they undermine the very foundation of our democracy.”

U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill – “The scene outside of Delaney Hall today and the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is an absolute outrage. He needs to be released immediately. The Trump administration’s decision to reopen Delaney Hall, a private, for-profit prison to detain immigrants won’t make New Jerseyans safer, and it won’t fix our broken immigration system.”

U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez Jr. - "What occurred at Delaney Hall today should shake every American to their core. As Members of Congress, we have a legal right to conduct oversight at any DHS facility without prior notice, as we have already done twice this year. Throughout every step of this visit, ICE attempted to intimidate everyone involved and impede our ability to conduct oversight. This is like nothing I've ever seen before, and I am shocked and disturbed that something like this happened in our community. Despite the lies and misinformation being spread by the Trump Administration, this will not stop our fight. We will continue to stand up for all of our neighbors and fight against this Administration's attempts to undermine the rights of everyone who calls this country home."

U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver - "The way we were treated at Delaney Hall is almost unbelievable. ICE shoved me, manhandled [Rep. Watson Coleman] and arrested Mayor Baraka. They disrespected us and tried to stop us from conducting the oversight we’re elected to do. But we’ll never back down in our fight for what is right."

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer - "This is blatant intimidation and overreach from Department of Homeland Security officials running Delaney Hall. Mayor Baraka, and members of our delegation were engaged in protected First Amendment speech and have a responsibility to engage in oversight — a core function of elected office. As the elected leader of Newark, Mayor Baraka has the right to ensure the facility is properly operating under the municipality's rules and regulations. Once the officials were let in, the Mayor exited the facility, and agents followed him to illegally place him under arrest and move him to a Customs and Border Protection office. DHS officials claim the Mayor and our delegation were endangering agents and detainees. Oversight and accountability are only dangerous to the facility if there is something you do not want people to see. This private prison, Delaney Hall, is operating without the proper permits to hold immigrants ... Private, for-profit, crowded prisons create an environment ripe for mistreatment and abuse, without the necessary guardrails that not only endanger those housed at the facility, but also guards and prison staff. There is no reason the Mayor should have been arrested. His detainment was based not on law, but rather it appears retaliatory and politically motivated, raising grave concerns about selective enforcement. This is a violation of the law, our political norms, and our Jersey values."

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin – “Arresting public officials for peacefully protesting violates the most basic principles of our democracy. The arrest of Mayor Baraka earlier this afternoon outside Delaney Hall in Newark is deeply troubling. People peacefully exercising their right to free speech and assembly should never be targeted for opposing the government’s policies. To our knowledge, no state or local law enforcement were involved in this arrest. Like those gathered today to protest outside of Delaney Hall, my office has remained steadfast in our defense of the state law prohibiting private immigration detention centers in our communities. We defended that law before a federal appeals court last week, and we will continue to stand up for the civil rights of our residents.”

New Jersey Sen. Teresa Ruiz, Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin and Assemblywoman Shanique Speight (joint statement) – “Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s arrest at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility shows this administration’s destructive goal - to pursue its reckless attack on immigrant communities with no transparency, accountability, or due process. Our congressional partners came in peace, seeking answers and access to protect our community and uphold the humane and just treatment of detainees. Instead of transparency, they were met with unwarranted hostility and resistance. Mayor Ras Baraka must be released immediately. We stand in unwavering solidarity with the congressional delegation, advocates, and community members who are fighting to build safe, united, and inclusive communities for all.”

New Jersey Sen. Britnee Timberlake – “Today, I stand in unwavering solidarity with Mayor Ras Baraka, a leader of conviction and courage, who was arrested for trespassing at Delany Hall. His commitment to justice and his willingness to put himself on the front lines for human beings who can't even vote for him exemplify the very essence of public service. The events at Delaney Hall detention facility underscore the urgent need for accountability and transparency in our immigration system. His leadership in demanding access, oversight, and justice should be commended, not criminalized. The visible assault caught on camera on Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman during this unrest is deeply troubling. No elected official, no citizen, no human being should ever face a threat of arrest or violence for simply being. The ability to peacefully protest is not just a privilege—it is an American right, enshrined in our Constitution and protected by the sacrifices of generations before us. I am praying for all protesters tonight. I call on all leaders, regardless of party, to denounce all injustice and reaffirm our commitment to democracy, civil rights, free speech, and the protection of those who dare to speak truth to power. We will not be silenced. We will not be intimidated. And we will continue to fight for justice.”

East Orange Mayor Ted Green – “I stand in unwavering solidarity with my brother and fellow Mayor Ras J. Baraka. Today’s arrest is not just about a single act of civil disobedience. It is about the larger, righteous stand against a system that criminalizes compassion, ignores local authority, and profits off the detention of our immigrant communities. At a time when federal forces are weaponizing immigration policy and overriding local governance, we must ask ourselves: Who actually is in violation? A mayor defending his city’s ordinances, or a billion-dollar corporation operating outside the law and human decency? Let us not lose sight of what’s at stake: the dignity of our communities, the sovereignty of our cities, and the soul of our democracy. Our ancestors endured unimaginable hardships to fight for our civil rights, and now generations later, we are still fighting. The battles may look different, but the struggle is the same. East Orange stands with Newark to protect our freedom and liberties. And together, we will continue to resist any effort to silence our voices or dismantle our rights.”

ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha – “The arrest of Mayor Ras Baraka by the Department of Homeland Security is a shameful escalation of the Trump administration’s intimidation campaign against officials who refuse to do their bidding. Mayor Baraka was at Delaney Hall to join a tour of the detention facility with a congressional delegation as part of their authorized oversight responsibilities. Mayor Baraka – and lawmakers across New Jersey and the country – are being targeted by the Trump administration for refusing to be complicit with its ongoing violations of due process. Mayor Baraka must be immediately released from custody, and the Trump administration must end its assault on the fundamental rights at the core of our democracy.”

32BJ SEIU Vice President and New Jersey State Director Ana Maria Hill – “We are at Delaney Hall today, alongside our community and elected officials, to demand accountability and transparency. Instead, we have seen our community and elected officials disrespected by masked federal agents, and the arrest of our Mayor Ras Baraka. A mayor who represents thousands of our members, hard-working residents and voters of Newark. Though we are appalled by the escalation of the targeting and arrest of the sitting mayor of the largest city in our state – and the disregard of norms and democratic accountability – we are not surprised. We are not surprised, because this is just the latest example of a culture of impunity, lawlessness and inhumane conduct that we have seen from this federal administration and its agents. So while alarmed, we are not shaken. We know that what happened to Mayor Baraka today pales in comparison to what takes place in these detention centers. And that’s where we will continue to focus our attention. We are resolved and take from today renewed determination to wrest back our democracy from the clutches of division, xenophobia and impunity as we fight for a society and government that puts working people first.”

Dena Mottola Jaborska, New Jersey Citizen Action – “New Jersey Citizen Action stands by Mayor Ras Baraka as he stands up for immigrants, people of color, and our most vulnerable communities. The Trump administration's war on immigrants has nothing to do with justice or public safety, it's about repression, silencing dissent, targeting people of color, and enriching the corporate prison system. Our next governor should be distinguished by the fights they choose to fight, and by the extent to which they'll go to stand up against injustice. We urge all of our elected officials, and all New Jersey, to stand by Ras at this time.”

Nicole Rodriguez, President of New Jersey Policy Perspective – “The NJPP is profoundly alarmed over Mayor Ras Baraka’s arrest. This incident underscores longstanding concerns about the privatization of immigration enforcement and the dangerous lack of accountability that comes with it. Oversight and transparency in public policy — especially when human lives are at stake — should never be met with obstruction or criminalization. Decades of research and investigative reporting have shown that privately run detention centers, driven by profit, often cut corners on safety and care, leading to widespread reports of medical neglect, dangerous conditions, and coercive labor practices. Privatization removes key tools for elected officials and communities to ensure accountability and uphold basic standards of care. The NJPP calls for a full, independent investigation into Mayor Baraka’s arrest and the legal status of Delaney Hall’s operations. No facility should be allowed to operate without full transparency, oversight, and compliance with public safety and health standards. We also urge federal lawmakers to respect New Jersey’s existing ban on private immigration detention facilities. As a nonpartisan, research-driven organization, NJPP stands firmly for humane, just, and transparent immigration policies that uphold the dignity and rights of all New Jersey residents.”

Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) Executive Director Selaedin Maksut – “Mayor Baraka's detention is an affront to free speech and the right to protest. His actions were in defense of the Constitution and the rights of immigrants. We stand in solidarity with him and demand his immediate release. The Delaney Hall facility has long raised serious legal and ethical concerns, including its lack of proper municipal approvals and transparency. No facility that deprives people of their liberty should be allowed to operate in violation of local laws and without community oversight. Mayor Baraka was standing up for lawful governance, and for that, he should be commended— not criminalized.”

Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition – “No sitting mayor of an American city should be arrested for trying to inspect an immigration facility in their jurisdiction. ICE detention facilities are subject to inspection and oversight by elected officials. But in today’s climate, federal immigration enforcement has been emboldened by the callous and lawless actions of the Trump administration to the point of responding to that oversight with this reckless and irresponsible action. The arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is a step much too far. We demand the immediate release of Mayor Baraka, and for those responsible for this decision to be held accountable.”

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