Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is suing Alina Habba, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey, for false arrest, malicious prosecution and defamation after he was arrested and detained for trespassing at an immigration detention center on May 9.
The lawsuit alleges that Habba, formerly the personal lawyer for President Donald Trump, directed Homeland Security agent Ricky Patel, who is also a named defendant, to falsely arrest Baraka for trespassing after he entered and then left a private detention facility in Newark used to house immigrants.
The arrest was executed as part of a political scheme to damage Democratic Party politicians in the state, the suit alleges. It also charges Habba with defaming Baraka by issuing false statements about the events that led to his arrest.
Habba’s office and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Baraka, who is currently running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in New Jersey, was arrested by Homeland Security officers on May 9 at a GEO Group detention facility in Newark when three New Jersey members of Congress sought to inspect the facility.
