Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on May 9, 2025, outside Delaney Hall, a federal immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey. Baraka, a Democratic mayor and gubernatorial candidate, was participating in a protest alongside Democratic Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver. The protest aimed to conduct an oversight visit of the facility.
Baraka was charged with trespassing after ignoring repeated warnings from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents to leave the area. According to interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, Baraka’s actions resulted in his arrest. The protest was centered on opposition to the detention center’s conditions and the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused the lawmakers and protesters of attempting to breach the facility’s gates as a detainee transport bus arrived. However, representatives for the lawmakers disputed this claim, stating they were there to inspect the facility rather than escalate tensions.
The incident has drawn strong criticism from Democratic lawmakers, including Governor Phil Murphy and Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim. They called the arrest politically motivated and an abuse of federal power by ICE, condemning the treatment of elected officials.
The Delaney Hall facility, run by the private company GEO Group, began housing detainees earlier this month under a $1 billion, 15-year contract. Local officials, including Baraka, have raised concerns about the facility’s compliance with city regulations and safety standards. The city of Newark has filed a lawsuit against GEO Group to challenge the facility’s operations.
