Newark Mayor NJ was arrested in an United States immigration and custom facility during a visit with members of the New Jersey Congress delegation.
Mayor Ras Baraka was detained on Friday at Newark Deck Hall detention CenterThat this month began to house the ice -arrested migrants.
“Newark mayor, Ras Baraka, committed maltreatment and ignored several warnings of national security research to get from Newark Ice Arrest Center, New Jersey, this afternoon,” United States Attorney. Alin Habba He wrote on social media. “He has voluntarily chosen not to heed the law. This will not be kept in this state. He has been taken in pre -trial detention. No one is above the law.”
Baraka had his first court appearance on Friday evening and was charged with a maltreatment count. He was later released from custody.
Governor Murphy calls for Baraka’s immediate release
Governor Phil Murphy said he was “outraged” by the arrest of Baraka.
“In recent months, Mayor Baraka, as well as defenders, faith leaders and members of our Congress delegation, have protested for the opening of a private immigration arrest center in Newark city. Four years ago, I was proud to sign a law that prohibited the private detention of immigration arrest in New Jersey. Third disposition of the layout of the calls “.
Baraka, a Democrat addressed to the Governor, joined some immigration legislators and defenders in arguing the 1,000 bed installation located about 15 minutes from Newark Liberty Is International Airport. dangerous and illegal. For months, officials claimed that the private prisons company that signed a ice contract did not obtain proper permits and blocked electrical, electric inspections and plumbing.
The United States National Security Department denies complaints that the installation did not obtain proper permits and was not inspected.
DHS says Congressional members “stormed the door” to ice premises
Delaney Hall currently leaves “murderers, rapists, alleged terrorists and members of the gang,” according to DHS.
“ Today, as a detainees bus was entering the security door of the detention center of Delaney Hall, a group of protesters, including two members of the United States Congress, stormed the door and entered the detention installation. The members, Robert Menendez Jr. and Bonnie Watson Coleman and several protesters are locked in a guard hut, the first security control point, ” said DHS on Friday.
“These members of the congress who stormed a detention facility go beyond the strange political acrobatics and puts the safety of our law agents and detainees at risk. Congressional members are not above the law and cannot go illegally to the arrest facilities. If these members had requested a tour, we would have facilitated a journey to the ease. This is a situation that evidenced.”
Congressmen say that Baraka’s arrest was aimed at intimidating
Menendez and Watson Coleman said that Baraka’s arrest was referring to intimidation.
“When the mayor was arrested, he was in the public domain. He was not on his property. They made a decision to make an example of this. They were snatched, discussed and then announced that they arrested him,” said Watson Coleman.
“The ice met with the Mayor of Newark, more than 20 armed individuals. Twenty individuals armed to face the Mayor of Newark along with three members of the Congress. It was an act of intimidation. It was an act of intimidation not only to the mayor, not only to us, but to everyone who looked,” said Menendez.
On Friday afternoon, Watson Coleman said on social networks: “We are in Delaney Hall, an ice prison in Newark that opened without permission from the city and in violation of local ordinances. We have heard stories of what it is in other ice prisons. We are exercising our supervision authority to see ourselves.”
Menendez and the Mciver Lamonica representative were labeled in the publication.
It is a development story. Remain -with CBS News New York to get updates.