Newark mayor slams warrantless immigration raid as 'terrorizing'
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Ras Baraka and state lawmakers voice outrage as cities across the US prepare for similar ICE operations.
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ICE Police arrest a person on January 14, 2025. (@DHS_DepSec / X)
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka condemned a warrantless immigration raid in the city that resulted in the detention of both "undocumented residents and citizens," The Guardian reported on Friday.
Baraka stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had conducted a raid at a local business. "Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized," he said in a statement.
The announcement comes as major cities across the United States prepare for ICE raids, following warnings from Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, who emphasized the federal government’s commitment to Trump’s promise of "mass deportations" with sanctuary cities—jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement—being key targets.
In a Thursday update, ICE reported a total of 538 arrests.
— ICE (@ICEgov) January 24, 2025
Hundreds of illegal migrants were arrested and deported in a massive operation that came just three days after the new administration was sworn in.
Under the pretext of "criminality", White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US authorities have arrested 538 illegal migrants and deported hundreds using a military aircraft.
🚨DAILY IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT REPORTING FROM ICE🚨
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 24, 2025
538 Total Arrests
373 Detainers Lodged
Examples of the criminals arrested below 🔽🔽🔽
"The Trump Administration arrested 538 illegal immigrant criminals including a suspected terrorist, four members of the Tren de Aragua gang, and several illegals convicted of sex crimes against minors," Leavitt said in an online post on Thursday. "Trump Administration also deported hundreds of illegal immigrant criminals via military aircraft. The largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway. Promises made. Promises kept," she added.
The numbers are not particularly unusual—under President Joe Biden in 2023, the agency averaged over 450 arrests per day. However, ICE’s actions have gained heightened attention during the Trump administration’s intensified immigration crackdown. Since taking office on Monday, the president has issued a flurry of immigration orders and policy shifts, including new guidance permitting enforcement operations at sensitive locations like schools and churches.
Outrage grows over ICE raids, rights violations
ICE declined to share specifics about the timing and location of its recent raid in New Jersey. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka revealed that those detained included a US military veteran, "who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned" by officers.
"This egregious act is in plain violation of the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees ‘the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures,’" Baraka stated.
ICE acknowledged that its operations "may encounter US citizens while conducting fieldwork and may request identification to establish an individual’s identity, as was the case during a targeted enforcement operation at a worksite today in Newark."
The raids, which have impacted both citizens and non-citizens, sparked widespread criticism from New Jersey lawmakers. US Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman condemned the actions, calling them a "disgrace".
She added, "This is what we expect from two-bit dictators in banana republics." Another representative, LaMonica McIver, stated, "Already, Trump’s attacks on immigrant communities are hitting home, and we will not back down."
The New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice has urged residents to attend "know your rights" workshops to better understand their legal protections when interacting with immigration enforcement agents.
Advocates and leaders in cities nationwide are also bracing for raids. In Chicago, where over 50,000 migrants—primarily from Venezuela—have arrived in the last two years, Mayor Brandon Johnson said he is collaborating with community groups to educate residents about their rights.
Read more: Trump team revisiting plans to designate Mexican cartels: CNN
