2 dozen federal agents conduct search at N.J. seafood depot where ICE raid happened this year

More than two dozen federal agents, about six of them wearing FBI uniforms, were seen outside the Ocean Seafood Depot in Newark on Wednesday executing a search warrant, according to law enforcement.

It’s the same site where a raid by the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Officers occurred in January, just days after President Donald Trump was sworn into office and reiterated a campaign pledge to launch a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.

An advocacy response group that was gathered across the street from the depot on Adams Street said the agents arrived at around 8 a.m. One of the members said about 50 workers from the depot were allowed out the building and given red wristbands, indicating they were free to leave.

About five SUVs were seen parked outside of the depot on Wednesday.

No detainees were seen being taken into custody outside the building and all the agents had departed by about 12:30 p.m.

Ocean Seafood Depot officials declined to comment outside the building.

Christine Cuttita, a regional spokesperson for ICE, issued a statement on the raid Wednesday afternoon.

“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,” the statement read.

“Given the ongoing nature of this matter, no additional information can be provided at this time,” the statement added. “Further details will be released as they become available.”

Caetano Brandao, a worker at Ocean Seafood Depot, said he arrived a little after 8 a.m. and “they came in and questioned the workers.”

Brandao, a naturalized citizen who lives in Newark and has worked there for about six years cleaning fish, said he was given a red wristband and allowed to go outside.

He said about 50 workers were sent outside while 20 were detained and questioned inside.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka issued a statement Wednesday saying his administration was looking into what happened at the seafood warehouse while awaiting a statement from federal authorities.

“Nevertheless,” the statement read, “the City of Newark remains firm in its intolerance of those who are traumatizing or persecuting people because of the color of their skin or assumptions being about our residents and business owners.

“Newark remains resolute,” Baraka added. “We are an American city. We uphold American values. We are a sanctuary city today. We will be a sanctuary city tomorrow.”

Baraka had condemned the January raid, saying it was done without a warrant and resulted in the temporary detention of U.S. citizens, including a military veteran.

It resulted in citations to three immigrants, including two who were given “notices to appear” at a hearing and a third who was “placed in removal proceedings” after overstaying a visa, officials said at the time.

Terri Suess, a co-founder of a watchdog organization, Eyes on ICE, said agents carried out four cardboard boxes after the raid.

“This is shocking to see armed, military police,” she said. “This was a shocking morning and a sad commentary on America.”

Another advocate, Carlos Castaneda, an organizer with Cosecha, a nationwide immigrants rights group said he didn’t know if anyone was taken.

Castaneda and a worker from the seafood depot attracted attention by getting into verbal argument across the street.

Castaneda said he approached the worker and some others asking if they were OK. Instead, he was met with a hostile response.

“(The worker) said ‘I voted for Donald Trump and I’m glad what’s going on now.’” Castaneda said.

The mayor was arrested in May while trying to tour Delaney Hall, an ICE detention center in his city. He was charged with trespassing but those charges were later dropped due to lack of evidence.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Jeff Goldman contributed to this report.

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