‘It looked like it was targeted’: Mayor Ras Baraka fights back with lawsuit against Trump attorney Alina Habba over botched arrest

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has filed a federal lawsuit against interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba, alleging false arrest and malicious prosecution following his arrest at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility.

The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, also names Homeland Security Investigations supervising agent Ricky Patel, who led Baraka’s arrest on May 9 outside the 1,000-bed detention center near Newark Liberty International Airport. The facility has become a focal point in President Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts.

Speaking to MSNBC’s Jen Psaki after the incident, Baraka stated, “After they finally told us to leave, and I told them I was leaving, they came outside the gate and arrested me. So it looked like it was targeted.” The mayor’s arrest occurred during a visit by Democratic officials, including three members of Congress, who were conducting oversight at Delaney Hall.

Federal judge delivers harsh criticism of prosecution’s handling

The case against Baraka quickly cleared up, with Habba’s office dropping all charges within 13 days of the arrest. Federal magistrate judge André Espinosa heavily criticized the prosecution’s handling of the case, describing the decision to abandon the charges as “embarrassing.”

During the dismissal hearing, Judge Espinosa spent several minutes reprimanding federal prosecutors, emphasizing that arresting a public figure should only be done after a thorough evaluation of credible evidence, not as a preliminary investigative tool.

The incident began when Democratic officials visited Delaney Hall to conduct congressional oversight, a core responsibility of Congress members. Habba, a former Donald Trump lawyer who was appointed to lead the U.S. attorney’s office, claimed Baraka had ignored multiple warnings to leave the ICE detention center.

Baraka’s civil suit also includes accusations of defamation against Habba, whose appointment to the U.S. attorney position has been questioned due to concerns about her qualifications. The timing of the lawsuit is notable, as Baraka is currently a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in New Jersey, with the primary election approaching in seven days.

The mayor’s case highlights growing tensions between local Democratic officials and federal immigration enforcement authorities, particularly in areas where immigration policies have become increasingly contentious under the current administration. The outcome of this civil suit could have significant implications for both parties and potentially impact how similar oversight visits are handled in the future.