American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey Executive Director Amol Sinha, in a statement sent to Newsweek via email on Friday: "The arrest of Mayor Ras Baraka by the Department of Homeland Security is a shameful escalation of the Trump administration's intimidation campaign against officials who refuse to do their bidding."

Baraka has clashed with federal immigration officials ever since the detention facility, privately owned by the GEO Group, opened. Friday’s arrest was a culmination of the back-and-forth, with Newark officials repeating that the owner has not cooperated with local code inspectors.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center and charged with trespassing while visiting the facility with members of Congress.