Newark ICE Operation Sparks Concerns and Anxiety, Day After Detainments at Fish Market
An operation carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has sparked concern and heightened anxiety among some communities in Newark, as outraged local officials have pledged to investigate the event and to protect those who they believe should be shielded under the law.
Mayor Calls Operation a "Raid"
An operation by ICE, which Mayor Ras Baraka has called a "raid," went down Thursday at Ocean Seafood Depot on Adams Street in the Ironbound section, according to the mayor’s office. A witness said they saw agents at the location at the time. Security camera video showed ICE agents escort a man from the warehouse and put him in the back of an unmarked car parked outside.
Mayor Condemns Operation
"[ICE] agents raided a local establishment in the City of Newark, detaining undocumented residents as well as citizens, without producing a warrant," Mayor Baraka said in a statement. "Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized."
Multiple People Detained, Including U.S. Citizen and Veteran
Multiple people were allegedly detained in Thursday’s operation, including U.S. citizens, according to the mayor, but it was unclear if there were any arrests or anyone was taken into custody. Baraka noted that one of those who was detained is a U.S. veteran "who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned."
Witness Describes Operation
As the ICE agents were leaving on Thursday, the executive director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ) arrived. She said during a Friday press conference that witnesses described the agents as "heavily armed" and blocked the entrance while "scrambling down, banging down bathroom doors to make sure no one was hiding." Witnesses told her the officers did not have a list of names or anything they were working off of.
Mayor Vows to Defend City
The mayor called the operation "egregious" and said it violated the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which clarifies "the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures." During the press conference, a defiant Baraka vowed to defend his city, even under threat of prosecution.
ICE Response
In a statement, ICE said that agents "may encounter U.S. citizens while conducting field work and may request identification to establish an individual’s identity as was the case during a targeted enforcement operation at a worksite." The agency said it was part of an active investigation, and "per ICE policy, we cannot discuss ongoing investigations."
Local Officials Respond
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and a number of other local officials are expected to hold a news conference Friday morning to address what they are calling an ICE "raid" in the city. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said his office was still gathering information on Thursday’s operation, but "no local or state law enforcement was involved." Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver said her office was in contact with the Department of Homeland Security "to get answers on exactly what happened, and how it was allowed that ICE came in—without warrant and without justification—to detain not only immigrants, but citizens and even a veteran of our nation’s military."
Conclusion
The operation has sparked widespread concern and anxiety in the community, with local officials vowing to defend the rights of all residents. The incident has also raised questions about the use of ICE agents in the city and the impact it may have on community trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What did ICE agents do during the operation?
- ICE agents detained multiple people, including U.S. citizens and a U.S. veteran, at a fish market in Newark.
- Why did the mayor call the operation a "raid"?
- The mayor called the operation a "raid" because it was conducted without a warrant and without just cause.
- What is the response from local officials?
- Local officials, including the mayor, are condemning the operation and promising to investigate the incident and protect the rights of all residents.
- What is the response from ICE?
- ICE said the operation was part of an active investigation and that agents "may encounter U.S. citizens while conducting field work and may request identification to establish an individual’s identity."
