Key Takeaways
- Three children were injured when a federal immigration enforcement pursuit in Newark ended in a three-vehicle crash during the morning commute.
- Mayor Ras Baraka said ICE failed to follow New Jersey’s vehicle pursuit guidelines and called for accountability.
- The incident follows a separate ICE-related pursuit in Georgia that resulted in fatalities, increasing scrutiny of enforcement tactics.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is once again under scrutiny after a pursuit in Newark, New Jersey, led to a three-vehicle crash that injured three children on their way to school.
According to News 12 New Jersey, the collision happened Wednesday (Feb. 25) morning at the intersection of Clinton Avenue and Shanley Avenue after federal ICE agents attempted to stop a van. Police say the driver fled, and the chase ended when the van collided with two other vehicles, including one carrying the three kids, who were treated for serious injuries at University Hospital. The suspect was arrested and taken to the hospital with injuries. Newark police were not involved in the operation and only responded to the crash scene.
The children’s stepfather, Javon Alleyne, told News 12 he rushed to the scene after getting a frantic call. “They called screaming, screaming, they were terrified. In Newark, especially, police are not supposed to chase vehicles just for this reason. It’s very dangerous," he said. Alleyne added that when he tried to reach his children, he felt dismissed. "After the situation happens, they want to be rude. They don’t want to give you answers. I’m trying to get to the scene. I’m a father trying to make sure my kids are OK, and I’m getting treated like a criminal."
Newark mayor says ICE must follow state pursuit laws after three-vehicle crash
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka did not hold back as he issued a sharply worded statement hours later, detailing how the crash unfolded. “This morning, ICE was conducting an investigation on Shanley Avenue involving a van they tried to pull over. The van fled the scene and ICE pursued it. The chase led to an accident at Clinton Avenue and 10th Street, involving several vehicles, one of which had three children as passengers, two 15-year-olds and one 12-year-old.”
Baraka then turned his focus to what he described as a failure to follow state law. “Federal authorities should adhere to local laws regarding vehicle pursuits and exercise common sense,” he said. “Based on the damage they are inflicting on our communities, ICE has no business engaging in chases at any time, anywhere — but especially in densely populated areas, and on roads still being cleared from a significant snowstorm.”
The 55-year-old stressed that New Jersey law restricts vehicle pursuits unless there is an immediate danger to the public. “State law prohibits law enforcement from chasing vehicles unless the suspect poses an imminent threat,” Baraka continued. “ICE cannot come into our city and recklessly put innocent people in harm's way while they try to apprehend their targets.”
The mayor closed with a broader warning about what he views as a troubling national pattern: “This is our city. These are our people. And this behavior is in keeping with a rabid, lawless pattern seen nationally. Somebody could have been killed in Newark today. These agents have to adhere to local laws.”
Baraka has been an outspoken critic of ICE enforcement in Newark. Last May, he was arrested and charged with trespassing while protesting the opening of a federal immigration detention center at Delaney Hall. The charge was later dismissed.
ICE pursuit deaths in Georgia and beyond raise national concerns
The Newark crash comes just days after another ICE-related pursuit turned deadly in Georgia. As REVOLT previously reported, Dr. Linda Davis, a beloved Black educator, wife and mother, was killed after police said a man fleeing an ICE traffic stop ran a red light and struck her vehicle. Before Davis’ death, ICE-involved incidents had already drawn national outrage, including the killings of Renée Good, Alex Pretti, and Keith Porter Jr., cases that intensified criticism of federal enforcement tactics.
With multiple communities grieving or recovering, worries about the human cost of these ICE pursuits continue to grow.