Newark Mayor Ras Baraka: Meet the Democratic candidate for NJ governor
Mayor Ras Baraka arrested at ICE facility
A federal prosecutor says the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, has been arrested at a federal immigration detention center whose opening he has been protesting. Alina Habba is interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey. She said on the social platform X that Ras Baraka committed trespass and ignored warnings from Homeland Security personnel to leave Delaney Hall.
NEW JERSEY - Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is running to be New Jersey’s next governor, aiming to succeed term-limited Democrat Phil Murphy.
Who is Ras Baraka?
Dig deeper:
First elected mayor in 2014, Baraka, a Newark native, has spent over a decade leading the city through economic and social changes, including reductions in crime and homelessness and improvements in infrastructure.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka makes a speech to press members after appearing in federal court for a status conference after his arrest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility last week in front of the Federal Court in New Jersey, Uni
According to his campaign website, under his leadership, the city "achieved a 60-year low in crime, replaced 23,000 lead service lines at no cost to residents, and reduced homelessness by 57%."
Baraka is a Newark native, poet, educator and member of Alpha Phi Alpha, his website states. He is a father and husband, according to this Instagram bio.
What are his key policy stances?
Local perspective:
The 55-year-old progressive launched his bid for governor back in 2024.
As a gubernatorial candidate, Baraka advocates for equity-focused policies, a revamp of the state’s healthcare and budget systems, and solutions to housing, education and transportation. His campaign centers on justice and progress for New Jersey’s communities.
He said he plans to attack New Jersey's affordability problems by focusing on tax reform, proposing a 1.4% tax on the first $90,000 of income and reduced rates for those earning under $500,000, according to New Jersey Monitor.
What they're saying:
"The issues that we've mitigated in Newark are statewide issues around housing, homelessness, access to broadband, lowering healthcare costs, finding opportunity to bring small businesses in, investing in Black and brown, and women businesses," he told WNYC in April.
The backstory:
Last month, he was arrested outside the Delaney Hall federal immigration detention center while protesting its opening. Baraka claims he was invited to the facility for a press conference and was arrested on the sidewalk, despite not trespassing.
NJ Mayor Baraka says ICE agents raided fish market 'without a warrant'
Federal immigration agents on Thursday detained several workers, including a U.S. military veteran, at Oceans Seafood Depot in Newark. Immigration advocates in Newark allege that federal agents raided the market without a warrant demanding to see worker's documents. FOX 5 NY's Stephanie Bertini has the latest from Newark, NJ.
Federal officials say he ignored warnings to leave the facility. Baraka has been vocal in his opposition to Delaney Hall, arguing that the 1,000-bed detention center should not open due to building permit issues.