The Trump administration isn’t playing games. They’re 100% serious with this latest warning.
And the Trump White House has threatened Democrats with arrest for this stunning reason.
Tensions Flare at Newark ICE Protest as Lawmakers Face Arrest Threats
A fiery confrontation unfolded at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday, drawing in Democratic lawmakers, the city’s mayor, and federal authorities. The Trump administration issued a stern warning to three Democratic representatives—Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver—hinting that arrests could follow their participation in a protest at Delaney Hall, a recently opened ICE detention center owned by GEO Group. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a leading candidate for New Jersey’s gubernatorial race, was arrested during the demonstration, sparking a heated dispute over the events that transpired.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin addressed the incident on CNN Saturday morning, stating, “There will likely be more arrests coming. We actually have body camera footage of some of these members of Congress assaulting our ICE enforcement officers, including body slamming a female ICE officer. So we will be showing that to viewers very shortly.” She added, “This is an ongoing investigation, and that is definitely on the table.”
The protest targeted Delaney Hall, which opened its doors on Tuesday despite opposition from local leaders seeking to shut it down. Baraka, joined by the three lawmakers, led the charge against the facility, which previously served as a migrant detention center during the Obama administration. The mayor has argued that the prison operates illegally, a claim GEO Group has firmly rejected.
New Jersey’s US Attorney Alina Habba confirmed Baraka’s arrest on Friday, asserting that he “committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon.”
In a post on X, she declared, “He 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.”
Baraka, released from custody Friday night, offered a sharply different account, accusing DHS of inflaming the situation. “The reality is Alina Habba wasn’t there; the US attorney wasn’t there. She doesn’t know what happened,” he stated.
He claimed he spent over an hour at the facility without being asked to leave, adding, “Clearly, that is not the context of what happened. I was there for over an hour in that space, and nobody ever told me to move … not a single person, not an officer from ICE, not any of the security guards, nobody told me to leave that place.” Baraka further alleged that a DHS official “began to escalate the situation,” leading to his arrest.
Supporting the mayor’s narrative, Newark City Councilmember Kenyatta Stewart told the New York Post, “They invited him in. A Geo security guard actually opened the door for him.” Stewart explained that Baraka complied when asked to leave but was arrested outside the gate.
Video footage circulating on X captured Baraka in handcuffs, escorted by Homeland Security Investigations officers. Insisting on his innocence, the mayor stated, “I didn’t go there to break any laws. I didn’t break any laws.”
Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey @AlinaHabba announces the arrest of the Mayor of Newark for trespassing in an ICE facility: “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) May 9, 2025
“The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security… pic.twitter.com/Xq15XqSOt2
The incident follows Baraka’s earlier attempt on Tuesday to block the facility’s opening, arriving with protesters and a bulldozer in a display of resistance.
While members of Congress hold legal authority to visit ICE facilities for oversight purposes, this privilege does not extend to Baraka, complicating his role in the protest.
The fallout continued into Saturday, when approximately 100 demonstrators gathered in Lower Manhattan’s Foley Square to rally against Baraka’s arrest.
The event, attended by mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, highlighted the growing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and local opposition to federal policies.
As the investigation unfolds, the clash at Delaney Hall raises pressing questions about protest rights, federal authority, and the treatment of elected officials in contentious demonstrations.
With potential arrests looming, the situation remains a flashpoint in Newark’s ongoing struggle over immigration policy.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
