Sanctuary City Mayor Arrested After Storming ICE Facility, Alina Habba Explains [WATCH]

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who is currently seeking the Democratic nomination in New Jersey’s gubernatorial race, was arrested on Friday outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Newark after allegedly trespassing on federal property.

.@AlinaHabba slams Democratic leadership pushback over opening an ICE facility in sanctuary city Newark, NJ on ‘The Story’ with @marthamaccallum. pic.twitter.com/KKleGF6rYJ

— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 5, 2025

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The arrest occurred at the Delaney Hall detention center, where Baraka had joined several Democratic members of Congress to demand the facility’s closure.

A video shared to X just after 3 p.m. showed Baraka being led away in handcuffs by a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officer.

BREAKING: Newark Mayor Baraka has been arrested and taken into federal custody for storming an ICE facility pic.twitter.com/CdO6lhDBJV

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 9, 2025

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According to Alina Habba, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Baraka “committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention [facility] in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon.”

Habba announced the arrest in a post on X minutes after the video surfaced, writing, “He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody.” She added, “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.”

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. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this…

— US Attorney Habba (@USAttyHabba) May 9, 2025

The protest was part of an ongoing dispute over the facility’s legality and safety compliance. Baraka has publicly argued that the facility was reopened without the necessary permits and in violation of local ordinances.

He previously visited the center on Tuesday—the same day it reopened—alleging that ICE officials had turned away Newark fire inspectors despite a judge’s order authorizing the city to conduct a safety inspection.

The Friday demonstration included Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver.

🚨BREAKING: Dem. Rep. Robert Menendez just admitted on MSNBC that every lawmaker present used PHYSICAL VIOLENCE against federal law enforcement officers.@SpeakerJohnson needs to grow a spine and start expulsion for EVERY member involved!

No one is above the law!!! pic.twitter.com/CS6elCY8n7

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) May 9, 2025

Coleman posted on X that the facility was “an ICE prison in Newark that opened without permission from the city & in violation of local ordinances.”

She said the group was there to exercise its oversight authority and assess conditions firsthand.

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.@RepLaMonica @RepMenendez pic.twitter.com/OIJuePH2XS

— Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (@RepBonnie) May 9, 2025

Habba, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in March, stated in an interview with Fox News host Martha MacCallum that Baraka “was put under arrest inside the facility, walked out when he was told he was under arrest, and then was cuffed.”

She emphasized, “HSI did absolutely everything correct. When you break the law, there’s no grandstanding that will help you. Period, the end.”

.@USAttyHabba on the arrest of the Newark mayor for trespassing at an ICE detention facility holding vicious illegal immigrant gang members: “It’s called grandstanding … When you break the law, there’s no grandstanding that will help you.” pic.twitter.com/iIaPsX1Z4l

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 9, 2025

Baraka has been a vocal critic of the facility’s operations, claiming that a prior inspection revealed violations that endangered first responders, detainees, and facility workers. According to Newark officials, fire inspectors cited Delaney Hall for three code violations.

Baraka responded by pledging to protest at the facility daily until it is shut down.

“We want them to follow our rules, follow our laws,” Baraka said earlier this week in remarks reported by local outlets.

As of Friday evening, there was no indication from Baraka’s campaign or legal representatives regarding plans to challenge the arrest.

The incident has sparked renewed debate over the authority of local governments to regulate or block the operations of federal immigration facilities within their jurisdictions.

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