By: LWV Staff

League of Women Voters Responds to Arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka

Press Release / Last Updated: May 10, 2025

Today, the League of Women Voters of the United States and the League of Women Voters of New Jersey released the following joint statement in response to the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka outside an ICE detention facility in New Jersey:

“We are deeply alarmed over the arrest of Mayor Baraka while attempting to investigate the condition and treatment of detainees in his city. Mayor Baraka was joined by Members of Congress, who are lawfully able to visit detention centers. Efforts to expose injustice should never be met with obstruction or criminalization by the government.  

“As a nonpartisan pro-democracy organization, we are deeply alarmed by the ongoing ICE detentions, which fly in the face of due process and human rights. These actions undermine the democratic values of fairness, accountability, and equal treatment under the law.  

“In a democracy, holding institutions accountable should be protected — not punished. The League of Women Voters will continue to defend our country’s principles and speak out when there is executive overreach and whenever people's rights are denied — especially by the government. We believe silence in the face of injustice is not an option. We call on the President to immediately stop these unlawful actions and for Congress to stand up for fellow members of Congress impacted by this event."