Former ICE Director and current Trump administration Border Czar Tom Homan is calling out Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after the Democrat was arrested for storming a federal immigration detention facility in what Homan described as a dangerous and politically motivated stunt.
Baraka, along with several Democrat lawmakers, forced their way into the Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey, during the arrival of a detainee transport bus. The unauthorized intrusion violated security protocols and led to Baraka’s arrest after he ignored multiple warnings from federal officers.
“He’s not very smart,” Homan said bluntly. “You don’t barge into a federal facility during an active transport operation and then pretend it’s some noble oversight mission. He knew exactly what he was doing — and it was reckless.”
Homan, who oversaw ICE under President Trump and now serves as the administration’s lead on immigration enforcement strategy, emphasized that detention centers are high-security environments and that political grandstanding has no place in federal law enforcement operations.
“This is a facility housing criminal aliens and individuals awaiting removal under the law,” Homan said. “By storming in with a camera crew and a political agenda, Baraka not only endangered officers and staff, but also disrespected the rule of law and the brave men and women who uphold it.”
Democrats involved in the incident claim they were attempting to perform oversight duties, but federal officials see it differently. The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly reviewing the incident and may pursue further legal action against those who breached the facility.
Homan argued that Baraka’s actions reflect a growing trend among left-wing officials to obstruct federal immigration enforcement for the sake of political theater. “They don’t want border security. They don’t want law and order. They want chaos — and they’ll put everyone at risk to get a few headlines.”
As the Biden-era sanctuary city rhetoric continues to clash with the Trump administration’s return to strict immigration enforcement, the incident has reignited the national debate over local interference in federal operations.
