Top Dem Gubernatorial Candidate Arrested For Trespassing At Ice Detention Center

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a apical Democratic gubernatorial campaigner successful New Jersey, was arrested connected Friday for trespassing astatine an ICE holding facility successful Newark during a protest.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called nan incident, which took spot astatine nan Delaney Hall ICE detention center, a "beyond bizarre governmental stunt" that "puts nan information of our rule enforcement agents and nan detainees astatine risk."

The situation presently holds alleged killers, MS-13 pack members and accused kid rapists, among different criminal offenders.

U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba announced that Baraka, 1 of nan starring Democratic candidates for New Jersey governor, was arrested connected Friday for his engagement successful nan incident.

"The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored aggregate warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to region himself from nan ICE detention halfway successful Newark, New Jersey this afternoon," said Habba. "He has willingly chosen to disregard nan law. That will not guidelines successful this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW."

NEWARK MAYOR TAKES FIGHT TO THE GATES OF ICE DETENTION CENTER AMID LEGAL BATTLE OVER ALLEGED SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Top Democratic gubernatorial campaigner Ras Baraka was arrested connected Friday for trespassing astatine an ICE holding installation successful Newark during a protest. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig | Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Local outlet Insider NJ reported that a spokesperson for Baraka’s run confirmed nan arrest, saying that he "was arrested and detained by ICE" and that he was being transported to nan Homeland Security Investigations Newark section office.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News that Reps. Rob Menendez Jr., Bonnie Watson Coleman and LaMonica McIver, each New Jersey Democrats, were besides progressive successful nan incident and rushed done nan facility’s gates, demanding they beryllium allowed to behaviour an "oversight visit."

The lawmakers were held up astatine nan first checkpoint.  

Baraka, who has been protesting nan facility’s opening for months, was a regular beingness astatine protests extracurricular nan building passim nan week.

Baraka has said that utilizing Delaney Hall for processing group successful nan state illegally goes against authorities and section law, starring nan metropolis to file a lawsuit successful nan Essex County Superior Court astatine nan extremity of March.

NEWARK MAYOR SAYS ICE AGENTS RAIDED 'WITHOUT WARRANT,' VIOLATED CONSTITUTION

Members of Congress and protestors attempted to participate nan Delaney Hall Detention Center successful Newark, New Jersey. (X / @RepBonnie)

In a property convention connected Monday, Baraka said that GEO Group, nan backstage institution moving nan prison, is "following nan shape of nan president of nan United States who believes that he tin conscionable do what he wants to do and obscure nan laws, nationalist and law laws, and they deliberation they tin do nan aforesaid point successful nan authorities of New Jersey and successful Newark."

Commenting connected nan arrest, New Jersey Sen. Jon Bramnick, a GOP gubernatorial candidate, told Fox News that "it doesn’t really astonishment maine because he's been fighting nan opening of Delaney Hall since it opened" and that nan politician "wasn’t very pleased pinch ICE taking complete Delaney Hall."

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., who is besides a campaigner for governor, condemned nan arrest, calling it an "absolute outrage."

Sherill said that Baraka "needs to beryllium released immediately."

Another Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Steven Fulop, who is politician of Jersey City, besides condemned nan arrest, saying, "We’re watching lines get crossed successful existent time" and that "this is simply a vulnerable precedent."

DHS UNLEASHES POSSIBLE MONEY-SAVING MEASURE FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS TO SELF-DEPORT: 'SAFEST OPTION'

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka speaks aft nan Democratic gubernatorial statement astatine Rider University successful Lawrenceville, New Jersey, connected Feb. 2. (AP photo/Mike Catalini)

Meanwhile, Jack Ciattarelli, different GOP campaigner for New Jersey governor, called Baraka’s actions a "cheap publicity stunt."

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"In Newark, nan airdrome is successful nan midst of an unprecedented & vulnerable meltdown, nan nationalist schools are failing students & families, and location is crime successful nan streets each day. And yet its Mayor and starring Democrat campaigner for Governor, [Ras Baraka], is engaged shilling for forbidden Immigrants astatine an ICE detention halfway pinch a inexpensive publicity stunt. Shameful," he posted connected X.

Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano and Cameron Arcand and Fox News Channel's Bill Melugin contributed to this report.