A recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid in Newark, New Jersey, has ignited controversy, with officials and activists condemning the detention of both undocumented immigrants and American citizens.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka criticized the operation, calling it a violation of constitutional rights, especially since ICE agents reportedly conducted the raid without a warrant. The event comes just days after President Donald Trump’s return to office, during which he has signed multiple executive orders targeting immigration.
ICE Raid in Newark: What Happened?
On Thursday, ICE agents conducted a raid at a business establishment in Newark, detaining multiple individuals, including undocumented migrants and American citizens. Mayor Baraka stated that ICE agents did not present a warrant before making arrests. One of the detainees was a U.S. military veteran whose military documentation was questioned, further raising concerns about potential rights violations.
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
Since returning to the White House, President Trump has taken aggressive steps to curb illegal immigration. His recent executive orders allow ICE raids in places of worship and aim to eliminate birthright citizenship. During his campaign, Trump had promised to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants, and the latest actions indicate a renewed push toward fulfilling that pledge.
New Jersey has a large undocumented immigrant population, with more than 470,000 residents lacking legal status. The fear of deportation has grown within immigrant communities, with many questioning the fairness of ICE’s enforcement tactics.
Officials and Advocacy Groups Speak Out
Mayor Baraka strongly condemned the raid, stating that Newark would not stand by while people are “unlawfully terrorized.” Several lawmakers and advocacy groups have also voiced their concerns:
- Rep. LaMonica McIver, a Newark representative, has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for explanations on why ICE conducted the raid without a warrant. She vowed to fight for the rights and dignity of all residents.
- Make the Road NJ, an immigrant rights group, called ICE a “rogue agency” that routinely violates constitutional rights, affecting both citizens and non-citizens.
- The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) recently reported that private prison companies are proposing additional detention centers in New Jersey, raising concerns about the expansion of immigration detention facilities.
ICE’s Response and White House Statement
In response to the backlash, an ICE spokesperson stated that agents sometimes encounter U.S. citizens while conducting fieldwork and may ask for identification to verify a person’s identity. ICE has launched an internal investigation into the Newark incident but did not disclose the name of the business that was raided.
Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt defended the raid, stating that ICE arrested 538 individuals, all of whom were described as “illegal immigrant criminals.” She claimed that some detainees were members of a Venezuelan prison gang or had prior convictions for sex crimes.
New Jersey’s History of Immigration Resistance
New Jersey has a long history of opposing federal immigration crackdowns. In 2018, the state implemented the Immigrant Trust Directive, which limits cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE. Governor Phil Murphy further strengthened protections in 2021 by signing a law preventing local and private jails from renewing contracts with ICE to detain immigrants.
Following this law, three major New Jersey counties—Essex, Hudson, and Bergen—terminated their contracts with ICE within months. However, the latest raid suggests that federal immigration enforcement remains active in the state, sparking renewed concerns among immigrant communities.
The ICE raid in Newark has reignited debates over immigration enforcement, constitutional rights, and the treatment of undocumented individuals. As President Trump pushes forward with stricter immigration policies, many fear an increase in raids, deportations, and detention centers.
Local officials and advocacy groups continue to challenge these actions, vowing to protect immigrant communities in New Jersey. The clash between federal policies and state-level protections is likely to intensify in the coming months.
