Trump Admin Says 'Definitely on the Table' to Arrest Democrats Over Protest
By Adeola Adeosun
ADepartment of Homeland Security (DHS) official confirmed Saturday that arrests of Democratic members of Congress "is definitely on the table" following a confrontation at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Newark, New Jersey.
This statement comes after Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on Friday at the Delaney Hall detention center, sparking a dispute over what actually occurred during the incident.
Newsweek reached out to the White House, DHS and Baraka's office via email on Saturday for comment.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump has prioritized undocumented immigration as a key pillar during his second term in office. His administration's push for mass deportations, however, have been getting held up in courts nationwide.
Within the first 100 days of his second term, the president invoked the Alien Enemies Act, granting him authority to deport and detain noncitizens. The implementation was originally blocked in court.
Recently, deportations involving families and children have come back into question, as DHS has defended its practices, saying in part that "rather than separate their families, ICE asked the mothers if they wanted to be removed with their children or if they wanted ICE to place the children with someone safe the parent designates."
A legal move to arrest officials would mark a significant escalation in confrontations between the Trump administration and Democratic officials. It raises questions about the separation of powers and congressional oversight authority, as members of Congress routinely conduct site visits to federal facilities.
What To Know
DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin made the statement during a Saturday CNN interview with host Victor Blackwell while defending the arrest of Mayor Baraka outside the facility. McLaughlin said the department has body camera footage showing lawmakers "assaulting" ICE officers, including allegedly "body slamming a female ICE officer."
"Victor, I think that we should let viewers know there will likely be more arrests coming," McLaughlin said. "We actually have body camera footage of some of these members of Congress assaulting our ICE enforcement officers, including body slamming a female ICE officer. So, we will be showing that to viewers very shortly."
When pressed if members of Congress would be arrested, McLaughlin responded: "This is an ongoing investigation and that is definitely on the table."
The confrontation involved Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver, all Democrats from New Jersey. The lawmakers were protesting the reopening of Delaney Hall to hold migrants, arguing the private prison company operating it, GEO Group, lacks proper permits—a claim DHS disputes.
Mayor Baraka has strongly disputed Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba's characterization of his arrest, previously telling CNN: "I was there for over an hour in that space, and nobody ever told me to move... not a single person, not an officer from ICE, not any of the security guards, nobody told me to leave that place."
Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark
Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark confronts ICE agents at a demonstration outside an immigrant detention centre in Elizabeth, New Jersey May 7, 2025. TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images
What People Are Saying
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Spokesperson on CNN: "We're not playing."
Spokesperson for Democratic New Jersey Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman told Axios: "Threatening to arrest Members of Congress for exercising their lawful oversight authority is another example of this administration abusing its power to try to intimidate anyone to stands up to them."
Rep. LaMonica McIver told reporters during a press conference: "I was assaulted by multiple ICE officers while regional directors of ICE watched it happen."
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Relieved to see Mayor Baraka released from federal custody, but the bottom line is he never should have been detained in the first place."
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Mayor Ras Baraka following the arrest: "I was there as the mayor of the city exercising my right and duty as an elected official, supporting our Congress people, preparing for a press conference. I did not enter that place unlawfully; I did not break any laws."
Alina Habba, interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey and former Trump lawyer, wrote on Xr: "The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW."
In statement emailed to Newsweek, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) wrote: "The Trump-Vance Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would be well advised to reconsider its entire approach to interior enforcement. This administration is leading us down a dark path and putting an indelible stain on every institution, badge and public official that no presidential pardon will or should ever wash away."
They added: "Reps. Menendez, Watson Coleman and McIver were performing their oversight duties when they were accosted by rogue agents. DHS leaders not only failed to rectify the problem, they amplified it, making clear for all that the rot in this department comes straight from the top. The CHC and its allies will not be intimidated. We are keeping tabs and we will have accountability."
What Happens Next
DHS has since released some of the body camera footage of the protest on social media.
🚨WATCH: US Congresswoman, LaMonica McIver (wearing a red blazer), storms the gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center ASSAULTING an ICE agent. pic.twitter.com/4Q1deds1tl
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 10, 2025
Meanwhile, Mayor Baraka has announced that Newark is suing GEO Group for alleged inspection violations, indicating the legal battle over the detention facility will continue on multiple fronts.
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