In response to the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka by the Department of Homeland Security today at Delaney Hall, ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha issued the following statement:
“The arrest of Mayor Ras Baraka by the Department of Homeland Security is a shameful escalation of the Trump administration’s intimidation campaign against officials who refuse to do their bidding. Mayor Baraka was at Delaney Hall to join a tour of the detention facility with a congressional delegation as part of their authorized oversight responsibilities. Mayor Baraka – and lawmakers across New Jersey and the country – are being targeted by the Trump administration for refusing to be complicit with its ongoing violations of due process.
“Mayor Baraka must be immediately released from custody, and the Trump administration must end its assault on the fundamental rights at the core of our democracy.”
