The US attorney for New Jersey said Ras Baraka committed trespass offenses and ignored warnings.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was taken away in handcuffs Friday for trespassing at a federal detention facility for illegal immigrants in the city, said U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba.
In a statement posted to X on Friday, Habba said that Baraka had “committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon,” referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW,” Habba, a former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, wrote on the platform.
Habba did not say whether he was arrested or what charges he might face.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told news outlets that Baraka, a Democrat, had engaged in “political antics” that are “endangering ICE personnel, the security of the facility, and ultimately the detainees housed there.” She also described Barack as a “sanctuary mayor,” referring to sanctuary city policies around illegal immigration.
The Epoch Times has contacted DHS, McLaughlin, and Baraka’s office for comment.
“The Mayor has been informed that he is more than welcome to enter the facility, as long as he follows security protocols like everyone else,” McLaughlin told the outlets. “He keeps refusing to do so, presumably in an effort to stage press opportunities to help him in his bid for governor.”
The Trump administration expanded its capacity to detain illegal immigrants by opening a facility in Newark, which spurred a number of protests that included Baraka, a Democratic mayoral candidate, in recent weeks.
Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed facility along an industrial stretch of Newark Bay, opened on May 1, according to the private prison company that operates the center. The administration’s announcement came amid a crackdown on illegal immigration around the country and as it ramped up its deportation efforts.
Baraka has said the facility lacks the proper city permits in order to open, including a certificate of occupancy. Aside from Friday, he appeared on Tuesday and Wednesday outside the facility’s gates, aiming to gain entry but ultimately being denied.
“It’s not a Democratic or Republican issue in my mind. This is an issue of human rights, an issue of due process, an issue of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States,” Baraka told reporters this week. “We are afraid and opposed and alarmed by them setting up a detention center.”
Last month, the city of Newark filed a lawsuit against ICE’s usage of Delaney Hall to detain illegal immigrants, claiming that they are not following safety protocols. And this week, the mayor also indicated that more legal challenges will be filed against the federal government over the facility.
“We will return to court,” Baraka said during a press conference on Monday morning. “This is blatant disregard for the courts, blatant disregard for laws.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.