Newark Mayor Ras Baraka getting himself arrested at a federal immigration detention center in his New Jersey city last week was "a cheap political stunt" designed to raise the Democrat's profile as he seeks his party's nomination for governor, Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs told Newsmax.
"This mayor, who is running for higher office, wanted his 15 minutes of fame, and he's willing to do it on the backs of our law enforcement officers by trespassing, by storming that facility," McLaughlin said on "Wake Up America" Tuesday.
"He put our law enforcement officers at risk; he put our staff at risk; and he actually put the detainees themselves at risk. But what I would like to ask the mayor is who does he want out of that facility? Is it the MS-13 gang members? Is it the known terrorists? Is it the child rapists? Is it the murders? Which of these heinous actors does he want out of this detention facility?"
Following Baraka's participation in the Friday protest at Delaney Hall and subsequent arrest, three congressional Democrats who scuffled with law enforcement officials at the ICE detention facility may yet face charges for their conduct, McLaughlin said.
"Members of Congress and any public official is not above the law," she said. "You cannot body slam, body ram, shove, strike, or otherwise assault a law enforcement officer. Everything is still on the table. I'll leave that to the Department of Justice, but it is despicable to watch members of Congress assault law enforcement, and we will do everything we can to protect our brave law enforcement who so bravely operate this facility."
Baraka, who was released on Friday after several hours in custody, denied trespassing at the site, saying on Saturday that he was "invited in."
McLaughlin said that the officials' protest also endangered the lives of those inside the detention center because they impeded first responders from accessing the building.
"There was an ambulance that was trying to get through to the detention facility for a medical emergency, and the fact that these protesters are preventing that person in need from getting the help in the name of protesting these MS-13 gang members being in this facility is pretty disturbing," she said.
"And again, I ask these protesters, who do you want out of these facilities? Is it the child rapists? Is it the murderers? Is it the arsonists? Is it the drug traffickers?" added McLaughlin.
"What about the victims in America?" McLaughlin continued. "When are you going to start speaking out for them? When are you going to start protesting for them? Because I've yet to see any of these protesters, any of these politicians, visit with the family members, visit with the victims and tell their story."
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