Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC

Director of Communications

/Editor of The Sphinx

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

ewebb@apa1906.net

Cell: 443-635-5911

Friday, May 9, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STATEMENT OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. DEMANDING THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALPHA BROTHER AND NEWARK, N.J. MAYOR RAS BARAKA FROM ICE DETENTION FACILITY

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. demands the immediate release of Alpha Brother and Newark, N.J. Mayor Ras Baraka from ICE custody after being accused of allegedly trespassing at an ICE Facility, where he was conducting an oversight visit.

The Fraternity defends the right of Brother Mayor Baraka to protect his city and advocate on behalf of his constituents, especially when the city is currently suing for more inspections when detainees may behoused in poor and overcrowded conditions.

According to reports, the facility can only house 1,000 people and hehas already stated that issues there go beyond the lack of safety inspections and proper permits.

Alpha Phi Alpha sees Brother Mayor Baraka’s detention as retaliatory and part of a larger agenda to silence dissent, thwart oversight, and further disenfranchise those from marginalized communities as well as those who may advocate on their behalf.

We wholeheartedly stand with Brother Mayor Baraka.

Be clear, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and its Brotherhood has long stood at the forefront for the advancement and equal protections of African Americans and people of color in the public sector, and that is unwavering.

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About Alpha Phi Alpha

The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men, was founded on December 4, 1906, at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and is headquartered in Baltimore, MD.  The Fraternity has long stood at the forefront of the African American community’s fight for civil rights through Alpha men such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; late former Congressman Adam Clayton Powell; late former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; legendary activist, actor and performer, Paul Robeson, former Ambassador Andrew Young; late former Senator Edward Brooke; scholar, Cornel West; Senator Raphael Warnock; Congressman Steven Horsford, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus; General CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; six other members of the U.S. Congress, numerous state, and local lawmakers across the United States, as well as President of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Boakai, Sr. The fraternity, through its more than 720 college and alumni chapters and general-organization members, serves communities in the United States, and other parts of North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.