Newark mayor arrested at US immigration detention center

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) – Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday after refusing to leave an immigration detention center in New Jersey.

Baraka "committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself" from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Newark, top federal prosecutor in New Jersey, Alina Habba, wrote on X.

"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," Habba added.

Baraka led a predawn protest Tuesday outside the Delaney Hall detention center, which is expected to hold up to 1,000 migrants a day.

"The City of Newark will continue to uphold its responsibility to protect the well-being and rights of all who call Newark, and this nation, home," Baraka said on X, sharing his photo asking to enter the facility. However, Delaney Hall operators did not let the mayor into the facility.

"We will keep demanding entry into Delaney Hall and we will fight wherever we must to ensure no one is denied their right to safety or protection under the constitution," Baraka added.