New Jersey mayor arrested while protesting ICE detention centre

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday at an ICE Detention Center where he was protesting its opening, a federal prosecutor said.

Alina Habba, acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, said on on the social platform X that Baraka committed trespass and ignored warnings from Homeland Security personnel to leave Delaney Hall, an ICE detention facility run by private prison operator GEO Group.

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The mayor has been protesting the opening of the facility throughout this week, saying its operators did not get proper permits.

In her social media post, Habba said Baraka had “chosen to disregard the law.” She added that he had been taken into custody.

An email and phone message left with the mayor’s communications office were not immediately answered Friday afternoon.