Habba Warned Over Out-Of-Court Comments About Democrat After Arrest

Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba—a longtime Trump ally and legal powerhouse—was scolded by a federal magistrate judge this week after publicly criticizing Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was arrested last month after a reckless stunt outside a federal immigration detention center.

Baraka, a progressive Democrat and declared candidate for New Jersey governor, was taken into custody alongside three members of Congress after allegedly storming an ICE facility in Newark—a blatant attempt to score political points by disrupting federal immigration enforcement.

Despite the high-profile nature of the incident, U.S. Magistrate Judge Andre M. Espinosa took issue not with the mayor’s unlawful behavior, but with comments made by Habba. Espinosa warned officials in President Trump’s administration to tread carefully when speaking publicly about the case, citing “the boundaries of propriety for public comment related to an ongoing investigation and/or prosecution.”

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Earlier, Habba had posted on social media, stating bluntly that Baraka had “willingly chosen to disregard the law” and “committed trespass.” Her remarks came shortly after Baraka’s arrest for refusing to leave the premises of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, despite being asked multiple times.

During the court hearing, Espinosa ruled that Baraka posed no flight risk, calling him a “mayor of the largest city in New Jersey” who posed “no danger to the community.” Yet critics argue this assessment ignores the seriousness of a sitting mayor defying federal authority in broad daylight.

Habba, known for her fierce legal advocacy and loyalty to President Donald Trump, later appeared on Fox News with Martha MacCallum, where she set the record straight on what really happened during the left-wing spectacle.

“Congresspeople have the right to investigate, and we allowed them in—number one,” Habba began.
“Number two, the mayor was inside the facility and was warned and asked to leave several times—more than once. He refused to leave, was put under arrest inside the facility, walked out when he was told he was under arrest, and then was cuffed. That’s what happened,” she clarified.

Habba also blasted the political theater on display:

“There’s a reason the congresspeople are standing out there running amok and running their mouths as usual,” she added, backing up the professionalism of her DOJ team.
“Thanks to our team, who I stand behind... They did everything correctly.”

When MacCallum asked whether any of the Democrats were assaulted, Habba was clear:

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“They were not assaulted,” she confirmed. “It’s called grandstanding, unfortunately. When you break the law, there’s no grandstanding that will help you.”

As Baraka now attempts to climb the political ladder to the governor’s mansion, his arrest—and the subsequent media spin—have raised serious questions about Democrats' disregard for law and order in the Trump-era DOJ’s return to accountability.

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