In a dramatic turn of events that has stirred statewide and national debate, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on May 9, 2025, while participating in a peaceful protest outside Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility located in Newark, New Jersey. The arrest came amid growing opposition to the reopening of the facility, which is being operated by the private contractor GEO Group under a 15-year federal contract valued at $1 billion.
Baraka, a prominent Democratic figure and gubernatorial candidate, joined lawmakers, activists, and local residents to oppose what they describe as an unjust and unauthorized federal operation. The protest was organized in response to concerns that the facility reopened without necessary municipal permits and violated several city ordinances. Baraka, along with a group of elected officials and community leaders, sought to highlight what they called a “federal overreach” into local governance and civil rights.
According to witnesses, the mayor was attempting to join U.S. Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver, who were conducting an official oversight visit of the facility. Federal agents allege that Baraka trespassed and failed to comply with their orders to leave the premises. However, bystander video footage suggests that he remained on public property and had cooperated with law enforcement prior to his arrest.
The incident has triggered immediate political backlash. Governor Phil Murphy, Senator Cory Booker, and other New Jersey leaders swiftly condemned the arrest, describing it as a dangerous precedent and an intimidation tactic designed to silence opposition to ICE’s expanding footprint in the state. Civil rights groups have also voiced outrage, calling for a formal investigation into the conduct of federal agents.
Baraka was released later that evening without charges but remains undeterred. In a statement following his release, he emphasized the importance of defending immigrant rights and resisting the privatization of immigration enforcement. He also vowed to continue fighting for the dignity and legal protections of undocumented individuals in New Jersey.
The Delaney Hall facility, which began housing detainees again on May 1, has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over immigration policy and the role of private corporations in law enforcement. Critics argue that the GEO Group’s involvement represents a profit-driven model that undermines due process and community trust.
As protests continue and the political fallout deepens, Baraka’s arrest is poised to become a defining moment in the 2025 gubernatorial race, highlighting the intersection of local governance, immigration, and civil liberties.
Reporter
