Newark Mayor Arrested at ICE Facility: Bodycam Footage Sparks Controversy

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at ICE Detention Center: Bodycam Footage Reveals Conflicting Accounts Newark, NJ – Tensions surrounding immigration policy flared up on May 9th, 2025, when Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested outside a newly opened ICE detention center in Delaney Hall, New Jersey. Body camera footage released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shows a heated confrontation between Mayor Baraka and ICE officers. The video shows officers repeatedly warning Mayor Baraka to leave the property, accusing him of trespassing. "This is the last time," one officer is heard saying. "You are here on private property." However, witnesses claim that the Mayor was on public property when he was arrested. Following the incident, DHS issued a statement alleging that Mayor Baraka and several congressional representatives had stormed and broken down the gate to the facility. This claim is disputed by multiple witnesses and participating members of Congress, who were present at the scene. Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, who was present at the scene, is seen in the video attempting to de-escalate the situation. The arrest has sparked outrage among supporters of the mayor and immigration rights activists, who see it as an attempt to suppress dissent. Conversely, DHS maintains that the mayor's actions violated the law and that the officers acted appropriately. The incident underscores the deep divisions surrounding immigration policy in the United States. The investigation continues.