Newark Mayor Ras Baraka released after being arrested at ICE detention center
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was released hours after being arrested on Friday afternoon at ICE detention center Delaney Hall.
The Mayor said, "We did nothing wrong," and urged everyone to go home.
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba accused the mayor of trespassing and ignoring several warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the detention center.
Baraka was charged with trespassing, according to court documents filed on Friday evening.
He appeared before Magistrate Judge Andre Espinosa for a brief preliminary hearing. Judge Espinosa ordered Baraka released without bond, and no plea was entered. He spent approximately 5 hours in custody before his release.
Trespassing is a misdemeanor offense that carries a maximum punishment of up to 30 days in prison and a fine of $500.
No federal charges have been filed.
Lawmakers in Newark had previously demanded more information since the opening of the detention center for migrants near the city's waterfront.
The hall is a private, for-profit facility with room for more than 1,000 people. Baraka has said ICE renovated Delaney Hall without the proper work permits, inspections, and certificate of occupancy, posing safety risks.
A spokesperson for Baraka's 2025 gubernatorial campaign confirmed to ABC News in a statement, separately, that Baraka "was arrested and detained by ICE... We are actively monitoring and will provide more details as they become available."
Baraka and three members of the Congressional delegation for New Jersey - Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Rob Menendez, Jr. - had gone to the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility to conduct oversight, according to Watson Coleman and McIver.
The mayor had visited Delaney Hall several times this week, claiming it did not have the permit to house undocumented immigrants.
"We've heard stories of what it's like in other ICE prisons. We're exercising our oversight authority to see for ourselves," Watson Coleman wrote in a post on Friday.
McIver wrote, "As congressional members, we have the power to conduct oversight. That's what we're here to do."
Though they say they were forced to wait 90 minutes before being granted access.
Congresswoman McIver said on Fox News said he was assaulted as well as Congresswoman Coleman and Congressman Menendez was "roughed up" while trying to protect them.
"We were just rough handled literally. I mean nobody picked up fist to punch us but literally they pushed us, shoved us, they actually manhandled us and removed us to get us out of the way to get to the mayor to arrest him," said Representative LaMonica Mclver.
"They went off of the property, onto the public property, and arrested the mayor. They did not tell him why. They have not told any of us why. They just snatched him and took him," Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman said.
Video shows members of Congress and the Mayor being pushed and shoved by federal law enforcement agents from ICE, after a protest developed into Mayhem outside of Delaney Hall.
Mayor Baraka can be seen being pulled onto federal property and then hauled away in handcuffs.
Assistant Secretary Dept. of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin said that the members were "storming" and illegally broke into the facility.
"Members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk," McLaughlin said in a statement. "Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility. This is an evolving situation."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy released a statement that he was outraged over Baraka's "unjust" arrest.
The governor said he signed a law four years ago banning private immigration detention centers in New Jersey and his administration has been leading the fight to defend the law before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
"Mayor Baraka is an exemplary public servant who has always stood up for our most vulnerable neighbors," Murphy said. "I am calling for his immediate release by federal law enforcement."
"You can have disagreements about immigration. You should not have a disagreement about what happened today. They should not be able to assault members of Congress which is what happened today in addition to arresting the mayor of Newark who was peacefully there and on public ground when they were arrested!" said Representative Rob Menendez.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who served as the mayor of Newark from 2006 to 2013, said the incident "is disturbing, unnecessary and indicative of tactics that are undermining the safety and security of our communities, not adding to it. Law enforcement officers should have deescalated this situation. Mayor Baraka should be immediately released."
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said in a statement, "Arresting public officials for peacefully protesting violates the most basic principles of our democracy. The arrest of Mayor Baraka earlier this afternoon outside Delaney Hall in Newark is deeply troubling. People peacefully exercising their right to free speech and assembly should never be targeted for opposing the government's policies."
(ABC News contributed to this report.)
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