Las Baraka denies the charges against him the day after spending several hours in police custody.
Newark Mayor Las Baraka denied trespassing at the new US Federal Immigration Detention Center after arrest and release.
Baraka, who was protesting the opening of the centre this week, refused to trespass on Saturday, the day after spending several hours in police custody.
The mayor faced the Trump administration head-on over undocumented immigration, opposed the opening of a Delaney Hall Immigration Bureau (ICE) 1,000 bed detention facility, claiming that it should not be allowed to be opened due to permit issues.
Authorities accused Baraka of trespassing and ignoring warnings that she would be leaving the Delaney Hall facility in Newark, New Jersey.
“I was shocked by all the lies that were told here,” he said. He added that he was invited to a press conference.
“No one else was arrested, after I was invited, they arrested me on the sidewalk.”
Alina Haba, an interim US lawyer for New Jersey, said on social media platform X that Baraka trespassed in a detention facility run by private prison operator Geo Group.
Haba said Baraka “chosen to ignore the law.”
In an interview with CNN on Saturday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s assistant secretary for public relations, Tricia McLaughlin said the investigation was underway and more videos from the scene will soon be released.
She also accused Baraka of playing “political games.”
Baraka was taken into custody by ice agents in a brawl at the facility.
He joined several lawmakers at the detention centre on Friday for demonstrations.
Video of the incident showed Baraka being arrested after returning to the public side of the gate to the facility.
Local elected officials, along with Governor Phil Murphy, quickly condemned the actions of federal agents, writing to X that they were “enthussed by the unfair arrest.”