• Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested for trespassing during a protest at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center.
• Federal officials, including interim U.S. attorney Alina Habba, stated that Baraka ignored multiple warnings to leave the premises.
• Three Democratic lawmakers who accompanied Baraka during the protest are now facing potential charges from Homeland Security.
• Baraka claims he was exercising his rights as an elected official and denies any wrongdoing.
• The incident has sparked significant controversy and discussions about immigration enforcement practices in New Jersey.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on Friday while protesting outside the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey. He was accused of trespassing by federal officials who stated that he ignored multiple warnings to leave the facility, which is operated by GEO Group under a contract with ICE. Alina Habba, the interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, noted in a post on social media that Baraka "committed trespass" and "willingly chose to disregard the law" throughout the confrontation, emphasizing that "NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW," according to Huffpost.

The incident escalated when Baraka attempted to join a scheduled oversight visit with three Democratic members of Congress: Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Robert Menendez. Witnesses reported a heated argument broke out after federal agents blocked Baraka's entry, leading to his arrest outside the facility gates. Activists and supporters of Baraka criticized the federal response, claiming that he was forcibly removed from a public area, according to NY Times and CBS News.

Baraka defended his actions, stating that he did not engage in illegal activities but was there as part of his duties as mayor. His claims were supported by statements from fellow lawmakers, who insisted they were conducting a legally required oversight visit and had the right to enter the facility without notice. Tricia McLaughlin of Homeland Security, however, characterized the scene as a "mob" attempting to breach the facility, and suggested that charges might be pressed against the lawmakers involved, as reported by Aljazeera and India Times.

Following his release, Baraka expressed in a public statement that he felt humiliated but reiterated his stance against the detention center’s operations, arguing that the facility lacked necessary permits to operate legally. His arrest has drawn attention to ongoing tensions regarding immigration enforcement practices and the role of private detention facilities under the Trump administration's policies, according to Newsweek, Independent, and Sfgate.