CALITODAY – San Jose, May 13, 2025 – In an intensifying show of federal power, the Trump administration has arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and is now signaling possible arrests of three Democratic members of Congress. This follows the unprecedented arrest of Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan last week, prompting alarm across multiple branches of government.
The latest controversy centers around a visit by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rep. Rob Menendez, and Rep. LaMonica McIver — all Democrats from New Jersey — to the Delaney Hall ICE detention center last Friday. Mayor Baraka accompanied the delegation. The visit, which the lawmakers said was an oversight inspection, turned into a physical confrontation at the facility gates, according to Homeland Security.
DHS claims that the lawmakers and the mayor breached a secure perimeter as a detainee transport bus was entering. Bodycam footage allegedly shows Rep. McIver shoving an ICE officer — a female agent — and shouting at security personnel. Mayor Baraka was arrested at the scene after refusing repeated orders to leave, and was held for five hours before being charged with criminal trespass.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated on Fox News that “being an elected official does not place anyone above the law.” She emphasized that any assault on law enforcement, even by a member of Congress, would be subject to legal action. "This isn’t about politics. It’s about the rule of law," she said.
However, Democratic lawmakers see it differently.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) accused the DHS and Secretary Kristi Noem of weaponizing federal power to target political opponents. In a Sunday night video posted to Instagram, Ocasio-Cortez warned that “this is no longer about immigration enforcement — this is about intimidation and silencing dissent.” She directly named “Border Czar” Tom Homan and Secretary Noem as the architects of this campaign, asserting, “These actions cross a constitutional red line.”
Rep. Watson Coleman also denied DHS’s allegations, claiming she and her colleagues were simply exercising their congressional oversight authority. “We were there to fulfill our legal and moral obligations,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter). “We did not ‘storm’ the facility, and any claim otherwise is political theater.”
Rep. McIver further alleged that ICE officers physically assaulted her and Watson Coleman during the incident, a claim DHS disputes. Nonetheless, DHS released edited video clips showing McIver approaching ICE officers near the gate — footage that remains under scrutiny for its context and completeness.
LEGAL AND POLITICAL FALLOUT
Civil rights organizations and constitutional scholars have expressed grave concerns about the precedent being set.
QUOTE FROM EXPERT:
"The Trump administration’s aggressive use of criminal charges against elected officials — especially from opposing parties — is a constitutional crisis in slow motion," said Dr. Lisa Farnsworth, professor of constitutional law at NYU. "It fundamentally threatens the independence of the legislative and judicial branches."
Mayor Baraka's legal team released a statement saying he acted peacefully, and his arrest on a municipal trespassing charge — normally resolved with a citation — was “wildly disproportionate and politically motivated.” The court later released Baraka without bail, suggesting minimal legal risk.
Meanwhile, Acting U.S. Chief Judge Alina Habba, appointed during Trump’s return to office, issued a sharp statement defending the arrest: “No one — not even a mayor — can defy federal law and expect impunity.”
Democratic leaders in Congress, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have called for an emergency session to investigate the administration’s conduct. “If DHS proceeds with arresting sitting members of Congress for doing their jobs, the entire framework of checks and balances is at risk,” he said.
The DHS has yet to file formal charges against the three lawmakers but confirmed the investigation remains “active.” They assert that the Delaney Hall facility houses violent offenders, including individuals accused of murder, terrorism, and membership in MS-13 — a claim critics argue is used to justify extreme enforcement tactics.
As the situation develops, the nation watches with increasing unease. With federal agents arresting figures from both the judicial and legislative branches, many fear that what was once unthinkable is becoming a new norm under Trump’s second presidency.
