22 hours Ago By Tom Ozimek
The group allegedly forced their way into the first checkpoint, occupying a guard shack as a bus carrying detainees entered the facility. DHS said the action was an unlawful breach that endangered law enforcement personnel and detainees—some of whom are suspected murderers, rapists, gang members, and terrorists, according to the agency. “Members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk,“ Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
”Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility.” Video footage shared with media outlets shows Baraka being handcuffed by officers after a verbal dispute outside the gate.
According to witnesses, the confrontation escalated when Baraka attempted to join the congressional delegation in entering the facility but was blocked by federal officials. Baraka, a Democrat who is running to succeed term-limited New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, has been a vocal opponent of Delaney Hall’s reopening and has filed suit against ICE and GEO Group, the private prison operator contracted to run the facility under a $1 billion, 15-year federal agreement.
The 1,000-bed center began intake operations on May 1 and is part of a broader Trump administration effort to expand immigration detention capacity nationwide. “At around 1 pm today, my colleagues @RepLaMonica @RepMenendez and I arrived at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark to exercise our oversight authority as Members of Congress,” Coleman wrote. “Contrary to a press statement put out by DHS we did not ’storm' the detention center.
” Watson Coleman noted that Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.
) was also present and criticized DHS for not acknowledging her in its statement. She said the group had been delayed repeatedly at the gate, then eventually escorted inside. “Reopening Delaney Hall won’t make us safer and it won’t create an immigration system that is fair and secure for all families,” she added.
She accused the center of prioritizing profit over justice and due process. In remarks to news outlets, McLaughlin called Baraka a “sanctuary mayor” whose “political antics” were endangering ICE agents and detainees. She said that Baraka had repeatedly refused to follow standard entry procedures, despite being told he could enter like anyone else if proper protocols were followed.
The Epoch Times has contacted DHS, McLaughlin, and Baraka’s office for comment..
