Interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba provided an update on Friday following the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for trespassing at a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding facility after he refused several requests to vacate the premises.
During an interview with Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum, Habba pushed back on claims from three Democrats from New Jersey’s congressional delegation who were also at the facility protesting that federal immigration authorities treated them and Baraka badly.
“Congresspeople have the right to investigate, and we allowed them in—number one,” Habba said in response after accusing the Democratic lawmakers of politicizing the incident.
“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,” Habba said.
“Thanks to our team, who I stand behind—who many people don’t understand, the Department of Justice encompasses that. They did everything correctly,” she continued.
“If you look at the individual Twitter accounts, they have been openly saying they will go in. There’s a reason the congresspeople are standing out there running amok and running their mouths as usual. But I will tell you this: the mayor was inside and told he would be under arrest inside when he refused to leave after several notifications that he should remove himself. He chose not to do so and then was placed under arrest when he walked out of the facility,” Habba said.
“So while I love this game, the game and the tactics of the individuals that are perfectly fine and were not touched, I will say very clearly –”
“They were not assaulted? None of them were assaulted? That is what they said,” MacCallum cut in. “They looked fine. But I’m asking in terms of what happened in there—it is very striking, especially after having read the list of at least some of the people in this facility. And I’m trying to figure out exactly what they are doing to protect people.
“It’s called grandstanding, unfortunately. When you break the law, there’s no grandstanding that will help you,” Habba responded.
WATCH:
The incident took place outside Delaney Hall, a detention facility in Newark that houses criminal illegal immigrants, as several House Democrats, including New Jersey Reps. Bonnie Watson-Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Rob Menendez forced their way past security and demanded access to conduct oversight of the facility.
The protesters waited outside the gate until it opened for a vehicle carrying detainees, at which point they rushed through, the Daily Wire reported.
But agent bodycam footage released by ICE appears to show at least one of the lawmakers — McIver, in red — pushing an ICE agent and forcing her way past him as Baraka is being arrested.
Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin explained on X: “NEW: DHS has provided @FoxNews ICE bodycam video from the altercation at the Delaney Hall detention facility yesterday. They say the video clearly shows @RepLaMonica (red clothing) shoving/elbowing her way past a DHS agent to get past the gate and into the property, followed behind by @RepMenendez & that it also shows Congresswoman McIver screaming in the faces of DHS agents.”
DHS officials have hinted that at least some of the Democrats could be charged criminally for their actions.
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