Newark mayor sues Trump’s NJ prosecutor Alina Habba over ‘false arrest’ at immigration jail

Alina Habba, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, arrives at the courthouse where Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka’s hearing will be held on May 15, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey.

Stephanie Keith | Getty Images

Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka sued his state’s top prosecutor, Alina Habba, on Tuesday over his arrest last month at an immigration detention center in his city.

Baraka’s lawsuit alleges that Habba falsely arrested, maliciously prosecuted and defamed the Democratic mayor.

Habba is President Donald Trump’s former personal defense lawyer, and his pick for interim U.S. attorney for the Garden State.

The federal civil suit filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey comes just over two weeks after Habba said her office would drop its case against Baraka “for the sake of moving forward.”

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

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