Newark, New Jersey: U.S. immigration agents conducted a sweeping raid at a Newark, New Jersey, worksite on Thursday, detaining undocumented migrants and American citizens, according to city officials. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka denounced the operation, claiming it violated constitutional rights and included the detention of a military veteran.
The raid in New Jersey’s largest city, known for its sanctuary policies protecting migrants, comes amid President Donald Trump’s intensified efforts to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Following his inauguration, Trump signed a series of executive orders targeting illegal immigration and penalizing officials who resist enforcement.
In Newark, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents reportedly detained individuals without producing a warrant, Mayor Baraka said in a statement. “One of the detainees is a U.S. military veteran who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned,” Baraka added.
An ICE spokesperson confirmed the operation but defended the agency’s actions. “Agents may encounter U.S. citizens while conducting fieldwork and may request identification to establish an individual’s identity, as was the case during a targeted enforcement operation at a worksite today in Newark,” the spokesperson said, adding that the incident is under investigation.
Baraka accused ICE of violating constitutional rights. “Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized,” he stated. Neither Baraka nor ICE disclosed the name of the business targeted in the raid.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the Trump administration had arrested 538 individuals on Thursday, describing them as “illegal immigrant criminals.” She claimed the detainees included members of a Venezuelan prison gang and individuals convicted of sex crimes but provided no further details.
Studies by academics and think tanks consistently show that immigrants do not commit crimes at higher rates than native-born Americans. Additionally, data indicates that undocumented immigrants also do not exhibit elevated crime rates.
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Sanctuary Cities and Newark’s Stance
Mayor Baraka’s condemnation of the raid underscores Newark’s sanctuary policies, which limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Baraka has been a vocal opponent of Trump’s immigration agenda since signing an executive order in 2017 affirming Newark’s sanctuary status.
In 2022, about 44% of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. lived in states with sanctuary laws. This figure excludes those in sanctuary cities and counties in states without statewide protections, such as New Mexico.
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Reports from U.S. media indicate that federal law enforcement and ICE agents recently arrested nearly 500 undocumented migrants with outstanding warrants in sanctuary cities, including New York and New Jersey. These arrests reportedly occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday and targeted individuals accused of various crimes, according to ICE officials.
