new York Mayor Raz Baraka announced today he's filing a lawsuit against interim US attorney for New Jersey Alina Haba and Ricky Patel the special agent in charge at the Department of Homeland Security baraka is suing them for false arrest and malicious prosecution and he's suing Haba for defamation after he was arrested and detained by ICE agents outside the immigration detention center Delaney Hall on May 9th he was there for an oversight visit with three of New Jerseys congressional representatives baraka was the only one arrested that day and charged with trespassing the charges were later dropped and the federal judge overseeing the case issued a rare rebuke of Haba's actions mayor Baraka appeared this morning in front of the same federal courthouse to make his announcement this is not about revenge or uh not about me going after uh individuals because I think they've wronged me uh specifically uh ultimately I think this is uh about them taking accountability for what has what has happened to me to arrest me uh to handcuff me to drag me away to take my fingerprints and a picture for a classy and mug shots for a classy misdemeanor is egregious and malicious for me to appear in a hearing and after the hearing for the US Marshalss to rush in and take me in the basement to take my picture and fingerprints again is egregious and malicious in my mind haba issued a statement on X last night saying "My advice to the mayor feel free to join me in prioritizing violent crime and public safety far better use of time for the great citizens of New Jersey."

All of this is happening in the last stretch of the gubanatorial primary where Baraka is one of six Democratic candidates