After years of permissive and often chaotic immigration policies in Democrat-run sanctuary cities, the reality of stricter federal enforcement under President Trump’s “America First” doctrine is hitting home—and hard.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka found himself in handcuffs on Friday after protesting the opening of a federal immigration detention facility in his city. The arrest took place outside Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed facility now under contract with ICE and run by the private prison operator Geo Group.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Baraka told supporters after being released later that evening. “At some point, we have to stop these people from causing division between us.”
But division is precisely what erupted outside Delaney Hall.
Video captured by bystanders showed Baraka standing outside the gate, on public property. Moments later, several ICE officers crossed that line, grabbed the mayor, and dragged him back through the gates—handcuffed and defiant. Protesters screamed, “Shame!”
Alina Habba, interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, said Baraka committed trespass and ignored repeated warnings. “He chose to disregard the law,” Habba posted on X.
Baraka’s wife, Linda, accused the federal government of targeting him. “They didn’t arrest anyone else. They wanted to make an example out of the mayor,” she said.
The standoff occurred as Baraka attempted to join three members of Congress—Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman—who sought to inspect the facility. Homeland Security officials denied him access, citing his lack of federal office.
“There was yelling and pushing,” said Viri Martinez, a local activist. “Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one organizer to the ground.”
The Department of Homeland Security said the group “stormed the gate” while a detainee bus was entering, but Watson Coleman pushed back: “Contrary to DHS’s statement, we did not ‘storm’ anything. We were exercising oversight.”
A DHS official on video told Baraka, “You’re not a Congress member,” denying him entry. Minutes later, ICE agents arrested him—even though he had already stepped back to the public side of the gate.
Julie Moreno, of American Families United, called it “bizarre and aggressive. He wasn’t even inside the facility anymore.”
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and other officials criticized the arrest, calling the protest peaceful. “Mayor Baraka has a duty to ensure facilities are safe and compliant,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “His arrest is a federal overreach.”
The backdrop to the chaos is the Trump administration’s renewed push for immigration enforcement. The Delaney Hall facility, opened on May 1, is part of a billion-dollar contract between ICE and Geo Group. It represents a 3,000-bed expansion in national detention capacity—precisely what Trump promised in his 2025 platform.
Baraka, now running for New Jersey governor, has sued Geo Group, arguing they bypassed local permitting laws. Still, DHS insists all inspections were cleared.
But sanctuary city leaders are learning that under federal law, immigration policy isn’t local anymore.
As ICE reasserts its authority, even Democrat mayors are realizing what it means to clash with a federal government committed to restoring immigration control—regardless of how blue your city hall may be.
Baraka put it plainly after his release: “All of us here…we’ve got to fight back.”
That fight may only be beginning.