New Jersey mayor sues Trump officials over arrest at immigration centre

WASHINGTON: The mayor of Newark, New Jersey sued two US law enforcement officials on Tuesday, alleging he was wrongly arrested and prosecuted as part of a politically motivated move by President Donald Trump’s administration.

The lawsuit from Democrat Ras Baraka, who is also running for New Jersey governor, alleges he was arrested for trespassing without cause and maliciously prosecuted following a tense confrontation last month at a privately run immigration detention centre in Newark.

The encounter drew widespread attention at a time of growing clashes between the Trump administration and Democrats over Trump’s hardline approach to immigration. The complaint names as defendants Alina Habba, the acting US attorney in New Jersey who brought the case and is a former personal lawyer to Trump, and Ricky Patel, a Department of Homeland Security official in Newark, who allegedly ordered the arrest.

In a post on X following reports that Baraka planned to sue, Habba said Baraka should “join me in prioritizing violent crime and public safety.” “Far better use of time for the great citizens of New Jersey,” she wrote.

Spokespeople for Habba’s office and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return requests for comment on Tuesday. Prosecutors dropped the case against Baraka 10 days after his arrest. Habba said the decision was made “for the sake of moving forward” but offered no further explanation. Her office then charged Democratic US Representative LaMonica McIver with assaulting and resisting officers who were trying to arrest Baraka.