Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has filed a lawsuit against interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for "false arrest and malicious prosecution."
The lawsuit, posted by Politico's Kyle Cheney on X, alleges that GEO Group, the private prison company that operates the migrant detention center, Delaney Hall, along with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "have repeatedly denied access to Newark officials seeking to conduct necessary and legally required inspections."
The suit argues that the mayor, Newark fire, health, zoning and building inspectors have repeatedly been thwarted in their efforts to enforce the laws of the city."
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"Defendant Habba has made her biased political goals explicit," the suit continues. "Days before being sworn in as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Habba attacked Democratic United States Senator Cory Booker and Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, claiming they 'have failed the State of New Jersey.'"
When she was sworn in, the suit says, it was "to help one party, Republicans." It cited Habba's comments, "We could turn New Jersey red . . . Hopefully, while I'm there [in office], I can help that cause."
It goes on to say that Habba violated the mayor's Fourth Amendment Rights against malicious prosecution and New Jersey state laws against defamation against a defendant.
Mayor Baraka was arrested while at Delaney Hall on May 9 outside the facility. He was joined by other Democratic officials, including three members of Congress, who all tried to get inside the building to inspect it as part of what they called their oversight authority from Congress. While Baraka was arrested at the facility, charges were dropped against him.