Ras Baraka Arrested at Delaney Hall ICE Protest in Newark

Ras Baraka, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, focuses on his arrest during a protest at the Delaney Hall ICE Detention Center on May 9, 2025, as reported on May 10, 2025. The incident has garnered considerable attention due to Baraka’s high-profile role as a Democratic gubernatorial candidate and his outspoken opposition to the facility’s operations amid President Trump’s mass deportation policies. Below is a 600-word summary of the incident, its context, and its implications, incorporating insights from the article and the sentiment of the previous post to capture the trending nature of the story.

On May 9, 2025, federal agents arrested Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka outside Delaney Hall, a newly opened immigration detention center operated by the GEO Group under a $1 billion, 15-year ICE contract. The facility, designed to hold 1,000 migrants, has been controversial since it reopened on May 1, with Baraka and Newark officials arguing that it did not have a valid certificate of residency and proper permits, a violation of city ordinances.

Baraka, joined by Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez and LaMonica McIver on what they described as an inspection visit, was denied entry while members of Congress were let in. Video shows Baraka standing in a public area outside the facility’s gates when ICE agents charged him with trespassing, alleging he ignored multiple warnings to leave.

The arrest took place in a chaotic scene, with federal officers pushing past protesters and detaining Baraka, who was handcuffed and taken to a nearby ICE facility. Addressing the crowd, Baraka declared, “I did nothing wrong”, emphasizing his duty to protect all Newark residents, including immigrants. His wife, Linda Baraka, accused federal authorities of targeting him to “make an example” of the mayor, a sentiment reiterated by supporters at the X.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy called the arrest “unjust”, and state Attorney General Matthew Platkin deemed it “deeply troubling”, noting that no state or local police were involved. In contrast, Acting U.S. Attorney Elena Hubba, a former Trump lawyer, said at the X that Baraka “trespassed and ignored multiple warnings”, emphasizing that, “no one is above the law”.

The incident has raised Baraka’s national profile as a progressive leader and gubernatorial candidate in the June 2025 Democratic primary. His campaign has been focused on social justice, economic equality, and opposition to Trump’s immigration policies, which he has called “based on white supremacy.” A Newark lawsuit filed against GEO Group in April alleged the facility had bypassed safety regulations, a claim confirmed by recent fire code violations.