Newark mayor arrested after breaking into ICE facility

Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday after entering without authorization an immigration detention center he had been protesting against all week.

The acting U.S. attorney in New Jersey, Alina Habba, reported that Baraka ignored several warnings to leave the site. On social media, she said the mayor "decided not to respect the law" and confirmed that he was arrested.

"Baraka committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey, this afternoon. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody," he said.

The facility, with capacity for 1,000 people, is managed by GEO Group, a private company dedicated to managing prisons and detention centers. The deal with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was announced in February and calls for a 15-year contract worth $1 billion.

Protests and demands for permits

Throughout the week, Baraka denounced the company's failure to obtain the construction permits required by local authorities, which, in its opinion, invalidates the legality of the operation. It even filed a lawsuit against GEO Group shortly after the contract was signed.

A political gesture with major implications

Baraka's protest has not only been interpreted as an act of civil disobedience but also as a sign of his political positioning now that he is running to succeed Governor Phil Murphy.

While the future of the detention center remains uncertain, Baraka's arrest has drawn national attention, both for its legal implications and its potential impact on the New Jersey gubernatorial race.