Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is scheduled to appear in federal court Thursday for a status conference regarding his recent arrest at an immigration detention center, where he faces a misdemeanor trespassing charge brought by the Trump administration.
Baraka, a Democratic candidate in New Jersey’s June 10 gubernatorial primary, will attend the procedural hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge André Espinosa. The judge granted a request from interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba to cancel a preliminary hearing, citing federal court rules that do not require one for petty offenses.
The charge stems from an incident last week in which Baraka attempted to enter the Delaney Hall detention center alongside three members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation—Reps. Robert Menendez Jr., LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman—as part of an oversight visit. Witnesses say Baraka was arrested after he allegedly refused to leave the area when denied access.
If convicted, Baraka could face up to 30 days in jail. He has strongly denied the allegations, insisting he never trespassed on the facility’s grounds, which are managed by private prison operator The Geo Group under a controversial $1 billion, 15-year contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Video obtained by the Associated Press shows a Homeland Security Investigations agent telling Baraka, “You are not a Congress member,” as the mayor attempted to follow the delegation inside. After stepping back to join protesters outside the gate, Baraka can be seen speaking through the fence before agents approached, restrained him, and pulled him inside in handcuffs.
The arrest has sparked political backlash. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday criticized the incident as a “spectacle” and suggested Republican lawmakers are considering disciplinary measures against the Democratic lawmakers involved, including potential censure or removal from committees.
Baraka, a vocal critic of President Trump’s immigration policies and the Delaney Hall facility itself, returned to the site Tuesday but left without incident. It remains unclear what, if anything, changed between his two visits.
The mayor maintains that Friday’s arrest was politically motivated and occurred on public property. “I’m not on their property,” Baraka is heard saying in the video. “They can’t come out on the street and arrest me.”
Thursday’s court appearance is expected to focus on procedural matters. No trial date has been set.
