Judge scolds DOJ in dismissing ICE facility trespassing charge against Newark mayor

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Source: The Hill

05/21/25 2:00 PM ET


A federal judge on Wednesday chided the Department of Justice (DOJ) during a hearing where he agreed to dismiss a trespassing charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D), stemming from his visit to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility earlier this month alongside three Democratic members of Congress.

U.S. District Judge Andre Espinosa said the arrest suggested a “worrisome misstep” by the New Jersey’s U.S. attorney’s office, noting the “apparent rush” in bringing the case that culminated in the government’s “embarrassing” retraction of the charge.

He dismissed the complaint against Baraka with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be brought again.

“Your role is not to secure convictions at all costs, nor to satisfy public clamor, nor to advance political agendas,” Espinosa said to the government’s lawyer. “Your allegiance is to the impartial application of the law, to the pursuit of truth and to the upholding of due process for all.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5312170-newark-mayor-baraka-charge-dismissed/