The political drama surrounding Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s detention has taken a new turn. Rep. LaMonica McIver’s court complaint details newly released body camera evidence that shows unsettling comments that imply the mayor’s arrest may have been precipitated by a Justice Department mandate.
During a congressional oversight visit to the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility on May 9, a Department of Homeland Security special agent was heard to say: “We are arresting the mayor right now, per the deputy attorney general of the United States,” according to McIver’s filing via The Mirror. “I need you guys to give me a perimeter so I can cuff anyone who gets in our way,” he continued.
Following an altercation with agents, Mayor Ras Baraka was taken into custody at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility. After Baraka entered through the gate, members of Congress who were there on a prearranged visit were pushed after attempting to engage him in [email protected]/6UDQWiIhQ7 @news12nj#newark
May 9, 2025, Amanda Lee (@amandaleetv)
Baraka was detained for trespassing at the time, but the charge was ultimately dropped. The DOJ was then chastised by Magistrate Judge Andr M. Espinosa for its humiliating reversal, accusing the hurried prosecution of not conducting a sufficient investigation and of ignoring the seriousness of using such authority.
The accusations are currently being contested by Rep. McIver, who was also arrested during the same visit and accused of assaulting federal officials. Her lawyers have invoked the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause to contend that the conduct mentioned were a part of her protected legislative duties. In an attempt to protect McIver under a comparable precedent, they also cite a recent Supreme Court decision that granted immunity to President Trump for specific official activities.
Using a DHS-posted video of the altercation from May, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded sharply, saying, “The American people can see with their own eyes a sitting member of Congress assaulting law enforcement.”
Ras Baraka, the mayor, has already been released from prison.
They would still be in jail if this had been any other American.
I’m not sure what corruption is if this isn’t it.axhLFTr0bu pic.twitter.com/
May 10, 2025, Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29)
Democrats’ growing fears about Trump-era DOJ officials’ politically motivated enforcement actions against anti-Trump Democrats are heightened by this episode. According to reports, prominent individuals like Jack Smith and James Comey have come under fire, and some Democrats have even voiced worries about federal agents holding California Senator Alex Padilla and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.
Suspicions of a planned DOJ move were strengthened when witnesses at Delaney Hall, including Rep. Rob Menendez, saw an agent on the phone getting orders to arrest Baraka. Baraka was shown standing silently behind a fence for almost an hour before being suddenly handcuffed in other videos and witness statements.
Baraka sued DHS Special Agent Ricky Patel and U.S. Attorney Alina Habba in the weeks after the event, alleging malicious prosecution. In the meanwhile, McIver entered a not guilty plea and is requesting that the charges be dropped. While House Republicans have sponsored a resolution to condemn her and remove her from the Homeland Security Committee, she has been released and is awaiting a trial date in November.
Although the explosive bodycam evidence has been added to court documents, the public has not seen it, which further enrages and mystifies a case that is already consuming national political conversation. One thing is certain as this story continues to echo from New Jersey to Washington: this confrontation is a risky clash between political intrigue and enforcement power, posing a threat to fundamental democratic checks and balances while simultaneously providing exciting tabloid entertainment.
