NEWARK – Mayor Ras Baraka had just finished a press conference to condemn Thursday’s ICE raid of a local seafood wholesaler when he got an interesting question from a jam-packed room.
He knows, does he not, that the Trump Administration has suggested local officials who seek to stymie ICE may be prosecuted?
“I’ve heard that,” he deadpanned.
Then Baraka grew defiant.
“If he thinks we’re just going to go to jail quietly, he has another thing coming.”
So there.
The raid in question took place Thursday reportedly at Ocean Seafood Depot in the city’s Ironbound section.
The mayor said three undocumented workers were detained, which would seem to be a rather small percentage of the workforce. The company’s website says it’s been in business for 25 years and that it serves about 1,000 restaurants.
But for Baraka, two House members and a host of local officials on hand for Friday’s event, the number was not the issue. It is how it all went down.
He said one of the employees interrogated by ICE was an American citizen and a military vet to boot.
And ICE had no warrant to search the premises.
Amy Torres, of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, said ICE workers arrived with guns drawn and proceeded to bang down bathroom doors in case someone was hiding.
“This is one of those bitter, ‘I told you so moments,’” she said.
Indeed.
Donald Trump has been straightforward about cracking down on illegal immigration. At the same time, there have been indications that the concentration would be on those suspected of committing violent crimes.
The mayor quickly condemned the raid in a press release Thursday night. He said today that he got a few angry calls from people advising him not “to f….” with the feds and that he was protecting rapists and murderers.
“The problem is that none of these people were rapists or murderers,” he said.
And that was the theme of the day – a fear that ICE will go after people who work everyday and as such, contribute to the economy. And many of these undocumented employees work in less than attractive settings – like in a warehouse filled with fish.
Trump said this week that ICE would reserve the right to go after people in church or in school.
That just about moved Teresa Ruiz, the Majority Leader in the state Senate, to tears.
“My biggest fear is that this happens inside of a classroom,” said Ruiz, a Newark resident.
The mayor and his supporters pledged to fight imminent deportations in the courts and by ensuring workers know their rights.
Of course, if there are warrantless-raids, those rights can be meaningless.
The two House members who spoke were LaMonica McIver and Robert Menendez Jr.
Speaking out – forcefully – may not bring results, but must be done. Menendez put it thusly:
“We have to speak up for them (undocumented workers). We can’t let them live in fear.”
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On July 13, 2021, Insider NJ reported on the aftermath of a recent ICE raid in Newark, New Jersey. The raid, which took place on July 10, targeted several businesses in the area and resulted in the arrest of over 100 individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.
The raid has sparked controversy and debate among residents and lawmakers in Newark. While some argue that the raid was necessary to enforce immigration laws and protect national security, others have criticized the tactics used by ICE and the impact it has had on the local community.
One of the main concerns raised by critics is the effect the raid has had on families and children of those arrested. Many of those detained were breadwinners for their families, leaving loved ones struggling to make ends meet. Additionally, there are reports of children being left without parents or caregivers, causing emotional distress and uncertainty for their future.
Furthermore, the raid has also raised questions about the collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and ICE. Some have criticized the Newark Police Department for allegedly assisting ICE in carrying out the raid, despite the city’s sanctuary city status. This has led to calls for greater transparency and accountability from local officials regarding their involvement in immigration enforcement activities.
In response to the raid, community organizations and advocates have been working to provide support and resources to those affected. Legal aid services have been mobilized to assist individuals with their immigration cases, while local charities have been providing food and other necessities to families impacted by the raid.
Overall, the aftermath of the ICE raid in Newark has highlighted the complex and often contentious issues surrounding immigration enforcement in the United States. As debates continue to unfold, it is clear that there is a need for greater dialogue and collaboration between all stakeholders to address these issues in a fair and humane manner.
