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Baraka files lawsuit following his arrest and charges that were dropped

Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka
NJ Spotlight News
Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is suing interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba following his arrest last month and charges against him that were eventually dropped.

Baraka's lawsuit against the Trump appointed Habba and Ricky Patel at Homeland security alleges they violated his rights, Falsely arrested him and defamed his character.

"This is not about revenge or not about me going after individuals because I think they wronged me specifically. Ultimately, I think this is about them taking accountability for what has happened to me."

Baraka was handcuffed and hit with trespassing charges outside the ICE detention center at Delaney Hall in Newark on May 9th. He was there questioning whether the facility was in compliance with Newark codes. Habba responded to the suit asking the mayor to her words "feel free to join me in prioritizing violent crime and public safety."