US EditionJudge scolds DOJ in dismissing ICE facility trespassing charge against Newark mayor
- Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on May 9 during a protest outside a new immigrant detention facility in Newark and charged with trespassing.
- Baraka’s arrest followed an oversight visit amidst ongoing demonstrations demanding transparency about detention conditions, with Baraka asserting political motivation behind the charges.
- Federal prosecutors, led by Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, dropped the trespassing case against Baraka thirteen days later, while charging Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver with assault related to the same incident.
- Magistrate Judge Andre Espinosa criticized the prosecutors for a 'hasty arrest' and an 'embarrassing retraction of charges,' emphasizing that arrests should follow thorough, dispassionate evaluation and serve justice, not political agendas.
- The dismissal resolved Baraka’s case without trial, highlighting procedural missteps by the Justice Department and fueling ongoing debates about legal and political accountability in immigration enforcement.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Federal Judge Slams DOJ’s ‘Political Agenda,’ Tosses ICE Trespass Case Against Newark Mayor — ‘You Are Free to Go’
A federal judge tore into the Department of Justice on Wednesday as he threw out a trespassing charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. The charge stemmed from Baraka’s visit earlier this month to an ICE detention center alongside three Democratic members of Congress. U.S. District Judge Andre Espinosa didn’t hold back. He called the DOJ’s actions a “worrisome misstep” and criticized what he saw as a rushed, politically motivated case. “The gover…
Judge scolds DOJ over Newark mayor arrest
What happenedA federal judge in New Jersey Wednesday approved interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba's request to drop trespassing charges against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, then spent several minutes criticizing her office's "hasty arrest" and "embarrassing retraction of charges." Baraka was arrested during a May 9 surprise visit to a migrant detention facility with three House Democrats from New Jersey.Habba earlier this week charged one of the Democ…
Judge admonishes prosecutors over handling of Newark mayor's arrest • New Jersey Monitor
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 15: Ras Baraka, Mayor of Newark, speaks after exiting the courthouse on May 15, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. Baraka appeared in federal court for a status conference on the Trump administration's charge that he trespassed last week at Delaney Hall, an ICE immigration detention center in Newark. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)A federal judge took federal prosecutors to task in astonishing fashion Wednesday over wha…
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