A federal judge ripped into the Justice Department after Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was hit with trespassing charges at an immigration detention center, only for the DOJ to reverse course days later and drop the charges.
“The hasty arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, followed swiftly by the dismissal of these trespassing charges a mere 13 days later, suggests a worrying misstep by your office,” Magistrate Judge Andre Espinosa told federal prosecutors during a Wednesday hearing.
Baraka was arrested earlier this month while attempting to visit a new ICE detention facility for immigrants and slapped with misdemeanor trespassing charges.
“The reality is this: I didn’t do anything wrong,” Baraka told his supporters after being released from custody.
The DOJ apparently agreed, and acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba said she would drop the charges against Baraka.
