What to learn about Newark Mayor Ras Baraka

Featured, USA1 month ago6 Views

Newark, New Jersey Mayor Ras Baraka was briefly arrested at an ICE detention middle.
The arrest occurred throughout an unannounced inspection by members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation.
Baraka, a Democratic NJ gubernatorial candidate, was launched hours later.

(This story has been up to date to replicate new data and images.)

The mayor of Newark, New Jersey, a Democrat who’s operating for governor, was arrested on Friday at a privately run federal immigration detention middle whereas three U.S. lawmakers had been on website for an unannounced inspection, officers mentioned.

Mayor Ras Baraka was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers in a scuffle on the gate to the ICE facility in Newark throughout the go to by three members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation, in line with a spokesperson for one in all them, U.S. Consultant Bonnie Watson Coleman.

Simply earlier than 8 p.m. ET, Baraka was launched, in line with a publish from Coleman’s workplace.

In response to the Metropolis of Newark web site, Baraka has been the mayor since 2014, being reelected in 2018 and 2022. Earlier than changing into mayor, Baraka served on the Municipal Council of Newark between 2005 and 2014.

Baraka can be one in all six Democratic candidates operating within the main for governor this yr. Generally known as a staunch progressive, the mayor has additionally been a vocal critic of Trump, calling out the administration following ICE raids in Newark.

“They don’t must go too far to search for criminals. They simply must go to the Oval Workplace as a result of there’s a prison within the Oval Workplace,” Baraka mentioned in his latest marketing campaign advert.

Who’s the daddy of Mayor Ras Baraka?

Baraka’s father is poet and activist Amiri Baraka. Baraka was a central determine of the Black Arts Literary Motion — the cultural auxiliary to the Sixties Black Energy motion, in line with NorthJersey.com, a part of the USA TODAY Community.

“He was one of many foundational figures of the Black Arts motion,” poet John Keene informed the outlet. “There’s that profound sense of Black delight, a way of making one’s personal establishments and autonomy, and never trying to the white publishing world for validation.”

Baraka’s mom, Amina Baraka, was lively within the Black Arts Motion, in line with the Poetry Basis.

“In her poems, Baraka engages themes of social justice, household, and feminism,” the muse mentioned.

Contributing: Ricardo Kaulessar and Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY; Reuters

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending information reporter for USA TODAY. Attain him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and observe him on X @fern_cerv_.