Alina Habba Sued by Mayor of Newark for ‘False Arrest and Malicious Prosecution’ Stemming from Skirmish at ICE Facility
Michael Nigro/Sipa via AP Images
Newark, New Jersey Mayor Ras Baraka has filed a lawsuit against acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for his arrest at an ICE facility in his city.
Baraka was arrested May 9 for allegedly trespassing on the facility. Joined by three Democratic members of Congress from New Jersey — including Rep. LaMonica McIver, Rep. Rob Menendez, and Bonnie Watson Coleman — the mayor attempted to visit the facility when things quickly turned chaotic. At the time, Habba praised Baraka’s arrest and accused the mayor of “grandstanding.”
Habba later announced charges against Baraka and McIver. Though she eventually dropped the charges against Baraka, she chose to move forward with a case against McIver. Habba alleged that McIver “assaulted, impeded, and interfered with law enforcement.”
On Tuesday, it was revealed that Baraka had chosen to take legal action against Habba. The lawsuit claims that Habba subjected the mayor to “false arrest and malicious prosecution.” Baraka also used the suit to bring an “action of defamation against Defendant Habba.”
Further down in the lawsuit, Baraka accused Habba of effectuating the arrest “premised upon a knowingly false Affidavit” stating that the mayor trespassed on the facility.
“In fact,” the suit continues, “Mayor Baraka was invited onto the property by an agent of the private company that owns the property.”
The lawsuit added that the “false Affidavit was made with malice, particularly seeking to ensure that the evening news included videos of the Black Mayor of Newark, New Jersey being led away in handcuffs by federal officials.”
