FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SandSJ’s Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Charles F. Boyer, Reacts to U.S. Attorney’s Decision to Demand Trial for Mayor Baraka

Photo by Cameron Orr / People's World

"Our democracy is under assault, and New Jersey has officially become ‘ground zero.’ Mayor Baraka is being criminalized for performing the very civic duty all elected officials take an oath to uphold: to protect the rights of everyone--citizens and immigrants alike--within the City he has been chosen to lead.

"The decision to take the mayor our state’s largest municipality, who has every right to inspect the conditions of and protect people under his purview, is an absolute farce and waste of taxpayer’s time and money.

"As someone who is arguably our state’s top Black leader, Baraka is also making a point to reminded us that we as Black Americans, hail from some of our country’s first undocumented immigrants. We cannot sit idly by and watch the demonization of our Latin, Afro-Latino, Caribbean, African (and more) sisters and brothers.

"Our country is on the precipitous of slipping into an authoritarian government if we fail to call out this moment for what it really is: an ill-advised charade carried out by so-called leaders at the highest levels of government.

"And let’s not kid ourselves, singling out Mayor Baraka is also a thinly-veiled attempt to meddle in between what could be a historic turnout of civic engagement in June.

"As Mayor Baraka continues to stand his ground against these oppressive forces, I am calling on the entire black faith community of New Jersey to unite behind his efforts and organizations dedicated to fighting to protect immigrants. I repeat, we cannot sit idly by."