U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided a seafood distributor in Newark, New Jersey, on Thursday, detaining three workers, one of whom is a military veteran, which has caused alarm in the food service industry and drawn criticism from city officials.
The raid occurs amid President Donald Trump’s promise to intensify immigration enforcement, instilling fear in communities reliant on immigrant labor. Newark’s mayor described the operation as “egregious” in a statement.
The raid took place at Ocean Seafood Depot, a family-owned supplier established in 1998. According to co-owner Luis Janota, agents entered through the back of the building, detaining the warehouse manager, who is Puerto Rican (and thus a U.S. citizen), as well as the military veteran. Janota told PIX11 News that between 10 to 12 ICE agents conducted the raid after receiving a complaint and requested documentation from the workers. He claimed that the agents appeared to focus on Hispanic employees while not questioning those who appeared white.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka expressed his outrage at the operation. “How do you determine who’s undocumented and who’s a criminal just by looking at them?” Baraka, who is Black, stated during a news conference. “If we allow people to categorize us based on appearance, we risk returning to a very dangerous time in this country, especially for individuals who look like me. This kind of rhetoric is not democratic.”
This raid follows an executive order Trump signed on his first day in office, which allows federal immigration authorities to make arrests in sensitive locations, including churches, hospitals, and schools.
Across social media platforms in the Northeast, restaurant workers have been encouraged to understand their rights regarding ICE raids, including the right to remain silent and to refuse searches.
Industry experts warn that large-scale raids and deportations in the food service sector could lead to labor shortages, jeopardizing the survival of restaurants. “We must be a nation of law, but we should focus on apprehending those who commit crimes, not those who are working to provide for their families,” Janota remarked. “These are hardworking individuals who show up to work every day.”
U.S. Senators Andy Kim and Cory Booker, both New Jersey Democrats, condemned the Newark raid and expressed concern over how ICE treated the detained military veteran. Janota confirmed that the three detained workers were taken into custody, with some receiving court dates, but he did not provide further details. Baraka noted that a mix of immigrants and U.S. citizens were detained, fingerprinted, and photographed.
“[The veteran] faced the humiliation of having his military documentation questioned,” Baraka added, asserting that the raid violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures.
In a statement, ICE indicated that agents may request identification to verify a person’s identity but declined to provide additional comments due to an ongoing investigation.
At a news conference on Friday, attended by other elected officials, faith leaders, and organizations serving immigrants, Baraka denounced the raid and pledged support for the affected community. “We cannot allow this to happen without speaking out,” he asserted. “As a result, I have received numerous emails that were quite negative.”
“We may disagree on political views. You can have a different opinion about immigrants’ role in the economy … and recognize that most immigrants are not criminals,” Baraka stated. “However, we must agree that what distinguishes this nation from others is the Constitution of the United States.”
U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) and other officials mentioned that New Jersey is ready to provide training sessions and resources for its immigrant residents. With tears in her eyes, New Jersey State Senator M. Teresa Ruiz, a Democrat, expressed her fear that raids could extend into classrooms. “New Jersey is one of six states where undocumented immigrants contribute over $1 billion in taxes each year,” Ruiz noted. “Human capacity is far greater than anything else.”
According to ICE, the agency has arrested more than 530 individuals as of Thursday and detained over 370, but no specific timeline for these figures was provided. ICE did not specify where the raids occurred, but reports indicate operations across states including New Jersey, New York, and Maryland, with officials suggesting a focus on major metropolitan areas.
“Newark will not remain passive while individuals are unlawfully terrorized,” Baraka declared. “We will uphold democracy and advocate for all residents of this city.”
