Newark mayor sues Alina Habba over ICE arrest in May

The mayor of Newark, N.J., has sued Alina Habba, the iterim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, alleging false arrest, defamation, malicious prosecution, and other claims over his arrest at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility last month.

Ras Baraka was arrested for trespassing in early May while protesting the opening of the ICE facility in New Jersey. The Department of Justice initially brought charges against him, though it speedily dropped them. Now, the Newark mayor is alleging that Habba acted with political motivations.

“Defendant Habba has made her biased political goals explicit,” he claimed in the suit, according to The Hill. He further said she acted as a “political operative, outside of any function intimately related to the judicial process.”

The suit is directed against Habba in her personal capacity. 

Prior to her appointment, she served as President Donald Trump's personal attorney and rose to national fame defending him from criminal prosecution.