WaPo

DHS

Alina Habba

Baraka Complaint

McIver Complaint

Habba Presser

McIver Indictment

Baraka Lawsuit

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2025/05/22/lamonica-mciver-congresswoman-charges-ice/

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/05/09/members-congress-break-delaney-hall-detention-center

https://x.com/AlinaHabba/status/1920918181951971563

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.njd.568350/gov.uscourts.njd.568350.1.0_1.pdf

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.njd.575004/gov.uscourts.njd.575004.1.0.pdf

https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/congresswoman-charged-forcibly-impeding-and-interfering-federal-officers

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.njd.575005/gov.uscourts.njd.575005.12.0.pdf

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.njd.571808/gov.uscourts.njd.571808.4.0_1.pdf

Newark Permitting Concerns

“Baraka and Newark officials questioned whether the company had valid construction permits or a current certificate of occupancy to house so many people safely.”

“GEO, DHS, and ICE have repeatedly denied access to Newark officials seeking to conduct necessary and legally required inspections”

“Mayor Baraka continually sought to ensure the safety and health of residents in his City as part of his duty as Mayor”

Legal Status of Delaney Hall

GEO contract

“Currently operates as a federal immigration facility pursuant to a contract between the GEO Group, Inc., the entity that owns the Delaney Hall Facility, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement”

A federal immigration facility

A federal immigration facility

GEO group owns and operates Delaney Hall

Congressional Oversight

“identified herself and the other lawmakers, saying they were there seeking entry — a privilege that ICE acknowledges members of Congress can exercise”

“Allegedly to conduct a congressional oversight investigation”

“To conduct a congressional oversight inspection”

“Allegedly to conduct a congressional oversight investigation”

Kept waiting for more than an hour in a waiting room inside the building

Initial Entry

Crowd chants, “let them in”

MoCs walk in along with car

Discuss oversight, escorted to waiting room

Broke in w/bus of detainees, holed up in guard shack

“Moved quickly inside to the secured area before the gate closed”

Press conference

“An immigration protest rally at Delaney Hall in the front (unsecured) area of the facility”

“An immigration protest rally… just outside the security gate for the facility”

“Congresswoman McIver invited Mayor Baraka to meet her and her colleagues for a press conference after the inspection, outside Delaney Hall, on public Newark property.”

Baraka Entry

Guard lets him in

Surrounded by chain-link fences, accessible only through granted access, displaying No Trespassing signs

“The Mayor arrived thereafter at the facility and was told he could not enter without authorization. However, the Mayor returned with members of his security detail and was able to enter inside the gate because the guard was under the impression that the Mayor was part of the Congressional delegation”

“A federal officer then informed the Mayor that he was not authorized to be in the facility’s secured area, and issued the Mayor multiple warnings that he would be arrested if he did not leave.”

Indicated he was part of the Congressional delegation’s entourage, denied entry

THEN

Allowed to enter when guard became concerned for Baraka’s safety

Guard lets Baraka in saying it would “calm the crowd”

Baraka waits a few feet inside the fence

MoC warning

“Inside the building, congressional staffers said, lawmakers saw agents huddled and overheard them discussing plans to arrest the mayor. Menendez then quickly exited the building and approached the gate, videos show. He spoke to Baraka through the chain-link fence, warning that agents were going to arrest him.”

No mention of overhear

“V-1 spent approximately five minutes repeatedly ordering the Mayor to leave and issued multiple warnings that he would be arrested if he did not do so.”

“McIver and other members of the Congressional Delegation overheard this conversation [inside the fence] and challenged the officer, protesting the Mayor’s removal.”

No mention of overhear

“V-1 spent approximately five minutes explaining that Delaney Hall was private property and ordering Individual-1 to leave the facility’s secured area … issued multiple warnings”

Defendant Patel “who does not represent the owner of the property”

Baraka told him he was invited onto the property. Patel disputed that.

Baraka Exit

“he turned and walked away, arm-in-arm with Watson Coleman.”

The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon.  He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state.  He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.

“The Mayor was inside and told he would be under arrest when he refused to leave after several notifications that he should remove himself. He chose not to do so and then was placed under arrest when he walked out of the facility.”

On or about May 9, 2025, notwithstanding the above, Ras Baraka, unlawfully entered and remained in the Delaney Hall Facility.

McIVER initially remained inside the secured area as the Mayor was then moved outside the gate. Once outside, HSI agents again attempted to handcuff the Mayor. At that time, McIVER hurried outside towards the agents and attempted to thwart the arrest as others yelled “circle the Mayor.”

“When officers moved in to arrest the Mayor, McIver and others surrounded the Mayor and prevented the officers from handcuffing him.        

After the Mayor was escorted outside the secured area, law enforcement officers made a second attempt to arrest him.”

“V-1 ordered individual-1 to place his hands behind his back and displayed his handcuffs. McIVER and other Members of the Congressional Delegation surrounded Individual-1 and prevented HSI officials from handcuffing Individual-1 and taking him into custody. McIVER initially remained inside the secured area of Delaney Hall as Individual-1 was escorted by his security detail outside the gate into the unsecured area of the facility.”

“I’m leaving now.”

Baraka and Watson Coleman walk to the gate. Baraka retrieves Watson Coleman’s phone

MoC reentry

“After the scrum, agents accompanied McIver and the other House members as they resumed their tour of the facility — part of nearly two hours combined she remained on the grounds.”

“Following the arrest of Individual-1, McIVER pushed past V-2 while using each of her forearms to forcibly strike V-2 as she returned inside the secured area of Delaney Hall.”

(No mention of actual visit)

1:15PM

MoCs approach gate

1:20PM

Gate opens

1:21PM

MoCs enter

1:42PM

Baraka arrives and speaks to some members of the public outside the gate

1:46PM

Members chant that Mayor should be allowed to join MoCs

1:48PM

Baraka enters

1:50PM

Guard lets Baraka in saying it would “calm the crowd”

Baraka waits a few feet inside the fence

2:33PM

HSI confronts Baraka

Defendant Patel “who does not represent the owner of the property”

Baraka told him he was invited onto the property. Patel disputed that.

2:36PM

MoCs walk toward gate to speak to Baraka, tell him they waited over an hour, express their desire that Baraka join them. Defendant Patel threatened to arrest Mayor. “I’m leaving now.”

Baraka and Watson Coleman walk to the gate. Baraka retrieves Watson Coleman’s phone

2:39PM

Baraka leaves grounds

Baraka exits

Menendez warns Baraka

2:44PM

Approximately 20 DHS agents “descended on the Mayor and Members of Congress.” Patel orders DHS agents to “take him down.”

3:05PM

Habba issues tweet

3:07PM

DHS leave with Baraka for another DHS facility, interview him for 30 minutes, where he explained GEO invited him in