Chaos At The Gates: Lawmakers Clash With DHS At New Jersey ICE Facility

The long-simmering battle over immigration enforcement boiled over Friday afternoon when Democratic lawmakers clashed with Homeland Security officers during a tense visit to a Newark, New Jersey, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.

Three members of Congress from New Jersey, accompanied by protesters, attempted to conduct a lawful inspection of the detention center under their congressional oversight authority. But tensions escalated when Newark Mayor Ras Baraka tried to join the lawmakers inside — and was quickly confronted by DHS officers attempting to arrest him.

The standoff soon turned physical, with shouting and shoving between officers and lawmakers. Baraka, a Democrat, was detained for several hours before being released Friday evening.

Under the annual appropriations law, members of Congress are explicitly allowed to enter any DHS-run facility housing immigrants — without needing to provide advance notice. A spokesperson for Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, one of the lawmakers on site, confirmed that the group had been granted entry and inspected the center between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Despite their legal authority, DHS officials later accused the lawmakers of “breaking into” the facility. A department statement claimed the group "stormed the gate" and holed up in a guard shack, calling the incident "a bizarre political stunt" that endangered the safety of law enforcement agents and detainees.

"Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

Rep. Watson Coleman forcefully rejected DHS’s version of events, stating, "We did not ‘storm’ the detention center," and criticized DHS for inaccurately reporting the number of representatives present.

Appearing on CNN’s First of All Saturday morning, McLaughlin doubled down, suggesting lawmakers could face arrest. She claimed ICE body camera footage showed members of Congress assaulting ICE officers — including an alleged incident where a female officer was body-slammed — and indicated more arrests could be forthcoming.

The footage released later by DHS showed Mayor Baraka’s arrest and multiple angles of the physical scuffles between agents, protesters, and lawmakers. In one clip, Rep. LaMonica McIver is seen using her body to push past federal agents as Baraka, in handcuffs, was moved behind a chain-linked fence.

Although Baraka is not covered by the congressional appropriations law, it remains unclear why he was detained outside the fenced perimeter after he had exited the detention center.

Speaking to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins shortly after his release, Baraka defended his actions: "I didn’t go there to break any laws. I didn’t break any laws. I was there as the mayor, exercising my right and duty as an elected official, supporting our Congress members preparing for a press conference."

Meanwhile, DHS continued to mock the lawmakers online, posting, "Just because the border is secure doesn’t mean you can find new walls to climb over, guys."

The fallout from the confrontation is ongoing, with potential criminal charges against sitting members of Congress still looming.