ICE arrests Newark, New Jersey’s Mayor Baraka; Massive protest erupts (See some pictures)
The Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, United States of America (USA), Mayor Ras Baraka A mammoth was arrested Friday, May 9, 2025 and detained at the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Center in Newark.
Mayor Baraka, who is considered a front runner in the upcoming governorship election in the state, was according to the Interim US Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, arrested for allegedly storming an ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey.
Habba, confirming the arrest of the popular politician, said on X that Mayor Baraka was taken into custody for trespass and ignoring multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations “to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey, this afternoon,” (Friday evening).
The statement said further that Baraka “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.”
The arrest of the Mayor ignited a spontaneous and massive protest by a crowd of outraged council officials and other supporters of the Democratic Party politician who has been vehemently opposed to President Donald Trump’s policies, especially as they concern immigration.
As at press time, Mayor Baraka was still being held.
Reacting, Dr. Akil Khalfani, a political activist and Professor of Sociology at Essex County College, Newark, who was among the protesters, condemned the Mayor’s arrest, stressing that it indicative of the disdain that the Trump administration has for the rule of law and due process.
Dr. Khalfani, who is also the Director of the Africana Institute of Essex County College, said the manner of the arrest of the Mayor of the largest city in New Jersey should send a signal to all others who do not have the same type of clout that he has that no one is safe in the state and the country as a whole.
He pointed out that the incident must, therefore, be seen as a wakeup call for all in Newark, New Jersey and the US, that all must rise up and organize to stop all forms of impunity and abuse the situation gets further out of hand.
