Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said Tuesday that the private owner of an immigrant detention center lacks city planning board approval and a certificate of occupancy to open, and that his administration will file a lawsuit and padlock the building if necessary to block its opening without the necessary approvals.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement touted the location near Newark Liberty International Airport in facilitating the president's mandate to "arrest, detain and remove illegal aliens." Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a gubernatorial hopeful, is trying to fight it – standing side by side with protesters.

Invited speakers include community leaders and families affected by mass deportation who spoke out against the reopening of Delaney Hall.

The Trump administration announced Thursday the opening of Delaney Hall for immigrant detainees. Officials with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said the 1,000-bed facility, located near Newark Airport and the Essex County Jail, will help manage mass deportation efforts by the White House.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is gearing up for what could be a sweeping crackdown on criminal illegal

Delaney Hall, which previously housed immigrants from 2011 and 2017, will be the first facility to open under President Donald Trump's administration.

Activists, families affected by mass deportations and elected officials all spoke at the rally, including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.