A New Jersey mayor, Ras Baraka, says his city has been “unlawfully terrorized” after federal agents conducted a targeted enforcement operation, detaining several people at a local business. The agents, who did not produce a warrant, questioned and detained both undocumented residents and US citizens, including a military veteran whose military documentation was scrutinized.
According to Julia Ortiz, an immigration organizer with the New Labor group, eight people were questioned and three were taken into custody by agents. The group was notified of the action by an employee of Ocean Seafood Depot, who called them to say immigration agents had arrived unannounced at the workplace.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that a US citizen was involved in the action, but declined to comment further on the active investigation. A law enforcement source said the action was in response to a tip reporting unauthorized workers at a local business.
The incident comes as the Trump administration moves to crack down on immigration and undo policies enacted by the previous administration. The White House has announced plans to challenge “sanctuary city” laws, which the administration believes allow for the harboring of undocumented immigrants.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka called the federal response to the detentions “cavalier” and said he has been accused of harboring “rapists and murderers” in the city. He emphasized that everyone in the US is entitled to the protections of the Fourth and 14th amendments to the Constitution, including due process.
The incident has left the community in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood shaken and uncertain about what to expect next. The owner of Ocean Seafood Depot, where the enforcement action took place, fears it will hurt his business and has expressed concerns about the future of his employees.
