The mayor of Newark is suing the US attorney for his arrest at the immigration facility

Mayor Ras Baraka files a lawsuit against the US attorney, alleging false arrest and defamation in the lead-up to the New Jersey governor primary.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has initiated legal action against New Jersey’s leading federal prosecutor, alleging political retaliation following his contentious arrest earlier this month at a federal immigration detention facility. The lawsuit, aiming for compensation due to false arrest and malicious prosecution, arrives merely days before Baraka participates in a crucial Democratic primary for governor.

Baraka’s lawsuit is directed at interim US Attorney Alina Habba, who was appointed during the Trump administration. The suit claims that she pursued criminal charges without justification after he sought to participate in a legitimate oversight visit to the Delaney Hall detention center with three Democratic members of Congress. Baraka maintains that the charges, although later dropped, were driven by political motives and were defamatory in nature.

The lawsuit references a post on X where Habba claimed that Baraka “committed trespass.” It asserts that Habba made a “defamatory statement” and sanctioned his “false arrest,” even though there was “clear evidence that Mayor Baraka had not committed the petty offense of ‘defiant trespass.’” The lawsuit additionally identifies Ricky Patel, the agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Newark.

“This is not about revenge,” Baraka stated at a news conference. “In the end, it’s about them owning up to their actions.”

Video footage of the May 9 incident shows Baraka being escorted in handcuffs after he walked from within the facility’s fence to a nearby street where demonstrators had gathered. Bystanders can be heard calling out to safeguard the mayor as tensions rise.

Baraka, who was initially charged with defiant trespass, had those charges dismissed in just two weeks.

Rep. LaMonica McIver, who accompanied him at the facility, was subsequently charged with assaulting officers amid the tumultuous situation.

US Magistrate Judge Andre Espinosa criticized Habba’s office following the motion to dismiss the charges. “The rapid arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, quickly followed by the dismissal of these trespassing charges just 13 days later, indicates a concerning error by your Office,” he wrote.

Delaney Hall, a facility with 1,000 beds, was inaugurated earlier this year as a federal immigration detention center. In February, Geo Group Inc., based in Florida and responsible for the property’s ownership and operation, secured a 15-year contract worth $1 billion.

The announcement formed a key component of the president’s strategy to significantly expand detention beds across the country, building on a budget of approximately 41,000 beds for this year.

His legal battle with the Trump administration is not a recent development. Newark is among four cities in New Jersey that are the focus of a lawsuit from the Trump administration concerning “sanctuary” policies, which are local laws that restrict cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Baraka has stood by those policies, asserting that they are designed to safeguard residents and maintain due process.

On May 23, the Trump Justice Department initiated a lawsuit against Newark and three additional cities in New Jersey regarding their alleged sanctuary policies. Sanctuary city policies lack a legal definition, yet they typically restrict local law enforcement’s collaboration with federal immigration officials.

The attorney general of New Jersey has implemented a statewide directive that prevents local police from engaging in federal civil immigration matters. The policies focus on preventing collaboration regarding civil enforcement issues, rather than obstructing cooperation in criminal matters. They explicitly outline exceptions for instances when Immigration and Customs Enforcement provides law enforcement with a judicial criminal warrant. The Justice Department stated that the cities will not inform ICE when they have made criminal arrests, as outlined in the lawsuit.

The impact of Baraka’s involvement in these conflicts with the Trump administration on his gubernatorial campaign remains uncertain. He is among six candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in the election on June 10 to replace term-limited Democratic Governor Phil Murphy.

In a video advertisement during the final weeks of the election, Baraka has adopted a theme that his opponents are also promoting: affordability. He claims he will reduce taxes.

Some images depict him standing in front of what seems to be Delaney Hall, yet he does not specifically address immigration or the arrest, stating, “I’ll keep Trump out of your homes and out of your lives.”

In the meantime, Trump has given his endorsement to Jack Ciattarelli, who is among the various Republicans competing in the gubernatorial primary. Ciattarelli has stated that if he is elected, his first executive order will be