On Friday, Alina Habba, the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, shared new details following the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. Baraka was taken into custody for refusing to leave a federal ICE detention facility despite being asked multiple times.
In an interview with Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum, Habba addressed criticism from three Democratic members of Congress from New Jersey who were also at the scene. They claimed that federal agents mistreated both them and Mayor Baraka during a protest visit to the facility.
“Let’s be clear—members of Congress have every right to conduct oversight, and we allowed them in,” Habba said. However, she accused the lawmakers of turning the situation into a political spectacle.
According to Habba, Mayor Baraka entered the facility and was repeatedly warned to leave. When he refused, he was placed under arrest. Once notified, he exited the building, at which point he was handcuffed outside. Habba praised federal officials for handling the situation professionally despite what she described as efforts to distort the facts.
She also pointed to social media activity from the lawmakers involved, suggesting their actions were premeditated. “They made their intentions pretty clear online,” she noted.
The protest took place outside Delaney Hall, a detention center in Newark that houses undocumented immigrants with criminal records. Representatives Bonnie Watson-Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Rob Menendez reportedly pushed past security to enter the facility and confront ICE officials.
According to the Daily Wire, the group waited near a gate until it opened for a vehicle. At that point, they surged inside. Bodycam footage released by ICE appears to show Rep. McIver, wearing red, pushing past an agent, with Rep. Menendez following closely. The video also captures McIver shouting at DHS officers during the altercation.
Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin posted on X (formerly Twitter), sharing the video and noting the aggressive behavior. The Department of Homeland Security has since indicated that criminal charges may be considered against some of the lawmakers involved.