Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have raided a New Jersey seafood market for a second time this year, but it’s not clear if anyone was taken into custody.
According to NJ.com, more than two dozen ICE agents entered Newark, New Jersey-based Ocean Seafood Depot on 19 November to execute a search warrant.
“ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, working in coordination with federal partners, executed a court-authorized search warrant as part of an active criminal investigation involving labor operations at Ocean Seafood,” ICE spokesperson Christine Cuttita told the news publication. “Given the ongoing nature of this matter, no additional information can be provided at this time.”
This is the second time Ocean Seafood Depot has been raided by ICE during U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term. Shortly after he took office, ICE agents descended on the market 23 January, detaining three employees.
U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver (D-New Jersey) highlighted tboth raids during a recent unofficial hearing organized by the Democrats on the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee.
“In Trump’s first week in office, ICE conducted a raid in my hometown in the city of Newark. Masked agents stormed the seafood market. They took people away. They were going after people who were just there making a living, scaring the hell out of residents in this small community in this small neighborhood with rifles, bullet-proof vests on, [tactical] gear – literally just terrorizing them,” McIver said. “And just hours ago, we received reports that masked ICE agents have returned again to this same market to conduct another raid and terrorize our communities.”
McIver was charged with assaulting officers following a Congressional oversight visit to an immigration detention facility, during which Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was also arrested for trespassing. The charges against Baraka were dropped, but the U.S. Department of Justice has continued its prosecution. McIver has disputed the Trump administration’s characterization of the visit and pled not guilty to her charges.
Details on the latest raid are limited, but the action drew swift condemnation from local officials, including Baraka and McIver.
“I’m working to get more details about this raid, but let me be clear: This administration is using fear as a tool,” McIver said in a social media post. “They have been doing so since 23 January, when they raided this same Newark market. We owe it to our neighbors to stand up for them. That’s exactly what I’ll keep doing.”
