The mayor of New Jersey’s largest city has been released following his arrest on Friday afternoon after allegedly trying to force his way into a migrant detention facility.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka “committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings” to leave Delaney Hall, a detention facility being run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to acting US attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba.
Baraka was accompanied by three Democratic members of Congress, who were not arrested. They say they were there to conduct “oversight” to ensure that the facility is not violating any building safety ordinances.
It is unclear whether Baraka faces criminal charges.
“The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center,” Ms Habba, who previously worked as a personal lawyer to Donald Trump, wrote on X on Friday.
“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.”
A statement from the Department of Homeland Security said that a group of protesters, which included the Democrats, “stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility” as a bus with illegal migrants was being brought inside the fenced perimeter.
“These members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and the detainees at risk,” the statement adds.
The department said it would have granted the Baraka entrance to the 1,000-bed facility had he properly requested one.
Videos posted online of the arrest show a chaotic scene as protesters and officers physically clash and Baraka, who is running for New Jersey governor, is led away in handcuffs.
Shortly before he is arrested, the video shows officers telling Baraka he will not be allowed inside. At one point he is told: “That is the last warning. You will be placed under arrest.”
New Jersey’s Democratic Governor Phil Murphy said he was “outraged” by Baraka’s arrest.
Baraka was taken to a Department of Homeland Security detention centre. When he was released after a few hours, he told supporters who had gathering outside the facility: “We didn’t do anything wrong.”
New Jersey Democratic lawmakers Rob Menendez Jr, Bonnie Watson Coleman and LaMonica McIver were also present during the protest.
City officials allege the private firm that signed a contract with ICE did not obtain proper permits and blocked necessary inspections. The firm has told media they have the proper permits.
Earlier on Friday, Congresswoman Watson Coleman posted on social media: “We’re at Delaney Hall, an ICE prison in Newark that opened without permission from the city & in violation of local ordinances.
“We’ve heard stories of what it’s like in other ICE prisons. We’re exercising our oversight authority to see for ourselves.”
In another post, Congresswoman McIver said that Baraka “did nothing wrong” and had already left the facility when he was arrested.
The move comes as federal agencies continue their crackdown on illegal immigration, following up on a key campaign promise made by President Trump.
By BBC News
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