Overview

• Mayor Ras Baraka appeared in federal court on May 15 for a status conference regarding his arrest for alleged trespassing at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center.
• Baraka's defense plans to file motions to dismiss the misdemeanor charge, citing selective prosecution and lack of federal jurisdiction over his arrest on private property.
• Baraka released video evidence claiming he was invited into the facility, contradicting federal allegations that he unlawfully entered and ignored warnings to leave.
• The case has drawn widespread attention to tensions over immigration policy, private detention centers, and local versus federal authority, with protests and political fallout continuing.
• No trial date has been set, but discovery deadlines have been established, with both sides preparing for potential proceedings by mid-to-late July.