Latest news with #AlinaHabba
National Post
3 hours ago
- Health
- National Post
Mike Tyson issues grim warning about dangers of drug use, fentanyl
Once known as the Baddest Man on the Planet, Mike Tyson now is warning people about one of the most dangerous drugs on planet. Article content The legendary boxer, who knows his fair share about elicit drug use, spoke out about fentanyl during a tour of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) lab in New York City earlier this week. Article content Article content Tyson toured the facility with Alina Habba, the acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, and even donned a DEA lab coat as he learned about the deadly narcotic. Article content 'One pill can kill,' Tyson told the New York Post. Article content 'I just found out that a pin of fentanyl can kill somebody. I was never educated on fentanyl and this is new to me. I'm just here to be educated on the laws.' Article content The 58-year-old former heavyweight champion owns a legal cannabis company, TYSON 2.0, and touted the safety of its products compared to street drugs potential laced with deadly narcotics. Article content According to reports, nearly 70% of recent overdose deaths in the U.S. have been attributed to illegally manufactured fentanyl and New York City saw nearly 2,200 fatal overdoses last year. Article content Article content 'There is a real toxic problem and that's the truth of it,' said Habba, who became friends with Tyson and his wife Kiki after meeting at a UFC event. Article content 'They are such proponents, the Tysons, of safe use. And making sure it's not from China or a pesticide.' Article content During the tour of the lab, Tyson was shown huge amounts of evidence collected in DEA seizures, including massive bags of marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, vapes and a bag filled with orange-coloured fake Adderall. Article content A scientist showed off a fentanyl brick that also contained carfentanil, 'which is more potent than fentanyl,' Tyson was told. Article content Article content 'We have kids where they take a pill from God knows where or smoke a vape or take a gummy and they don't know where it came from and next thing you know you are on the floor because of that little piece of fentanyl,' Habba told Tyson. Article content Tyson's history with substance abuse is well-documented and a big reason why he became interested in legal, safe cannabis. Article content 'It's mostly because I was in a lot of insane asylums, believe it or not,' he said. 'I did a lot of drugs, a lot of cocaine and a lot of drinking and then I started smoking and it changed my whole life. Article content 'I haven't been smoking (cigarettes), I haven't been drinking, I haven't done cocaine in nine years,' he said. 'Now, I'm trying to make the whole cannabis universe safe.' Article content
Fox News
5 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
EXCLUSIVE: Fox hits streets of NJ with federal taskforce led by Alina Habba: 'You can run but you can't hide'
An early morning raid in Newark, New Jersey giving criminals a loud wake-up call. The U.S. Marshals out on the streets, serving a warrant for a suspected Tren de Aragua gang member. The feds say the suspect is in the country illegally, wanted for a string of armed robberies on New York City subway. This is part of Operation Apex Hammer, a one-month statewide violent crime reduction initiative with federal, state, and local partners. The teams working to identify and apprehend gang-affiliated people and other violent offenders with active felony warrants, including MS-13, Tren de Aragua, the Sex Money Murder-Bloods, Rolling 60's Crips, and more. "The United States Marshals Service on a regular basis goes after the most violent fugitive offenders. People that are wanted for murder. People who are wanted for shootings," says the United States Marshal for the District of New Jersey Juan Mattos. Also, out in the streets with the task force was Interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba. "We are doing multiple cases at once to make sure that we clean up as quickly as possible. Violent crime is number one. It is very clear from this administration. That is all we're focused on. So, the politics are done now, and it's honestly been amazing being here," says Habba. Habba and the team waited for the main target to come out of the home and surrender. But he was not there. Instead, three migrants who the feds say are all in the country illegally walked out. Though, the search continues for the TDA suspect. "He is a gang member of Tren de Aragua. But they think they have rights here that they just don't have. You are a criminal you need to get out," says Habba. Operation Apex Hammer is also targeting U.S. citizens with arrest warrants including a New Jersey woman who police say recently shot at least two people. Also, one man who was wanted for aggravated assault was arrested by the team. But he nearly got away using the fire escape. "You can run, but you cannot hide. I think that the message is loud and clear. Our Marshals and the partner agencies that work alongside of us will always be determined to bring people back to justice. No matter the passage of time, no matter how long it takes," says Marshal Mattos. Although the job is dangerous, Habba says she isn't worried about her safety on the operations, telling Fox she relies on her team and her strong faith. Also, remembering advice from President Trump: "One time the President told me do not worry about the people who tell you that they are going to hurt you. Worry about the ones that don't," says Habba. President Trump appointed Habba to be the Interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. Habba can serve in the role for 120 days until she needs to be confirmed by the senate. But, says she is not afraid of the challenge. "Unfortunately, one thing I've learned about the last four years is some people have made their mind up about who you are, they don't really know you, but I will tell you one thing, I'm doing my job every day regardless of what anybody thinks of me. My job right now is to be the Chief Law Enforcement Officer in the state of New Jersey. This is not political, this is purely about being a prosecutor," says Habba. The operation will continue for the month of June. So far, dozens of suspected criminals have been arrested.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOJ on defense: Dem who beat case sues DOJ, warns border czar he's next: Melber intv
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is suing Alina Habba — the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey and former Trump lawyer — along with a DHS investigator, over his arrest outside an ICE detention facility.. Baraka joins MSNBC's Ari Melber to discuss. (Subscribe to Ari's YouTube now:
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Newark mayor sues N.J. DA over being arrested last month
June 4 (UPI) -- The Democratic mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, has sued the Republican U.S. district attorney of New Jersey over his arrest last month outside of a prison being transformed into a detention facility to hold migrants arrested in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The lawsuit, announced Tuesday, accuses District Attorney Alina Habba and Special Agent in Charge Ricky Patel of the Newark Division of Homeland Security Investigations of violating Baraka's rights by arresting him without cause, initiating a malicious prosecution and committing defamation. "They abused their power to violently arrest me at Delaney Hall despite being invited inside," Baraka said in a statement Tuesday. "No one is above the law." Baraka was arrested on May 9 outside Delaney Hall, a Newark prison owned by GEO Group, which in February signed a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house migrants at the 1,000-bed center for 15 years. Habba accused Baraka of trespassing at the facility and claimed he was arrested after allegedly "ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center. "He has willingly chosen to disregard the law," she said on X following Baraka's arrest. "That will not stand in this state." Habba -- formerly a lawyer for President Donald Trump, who appointed her to her current position in New Jersey -- announced last month she was dropping the charges against Baraka "for the sake of moving forward." According to the lawsuit, Baraka was at the prison at the invitation of Rep. LaMonica McIver, one of three Democratic New Jersey House representatives visiting Delaney Hall that day to inspect it. Baraka arrived at Delaney Hall at about 1:42 p.m. EDT and spoke with members of the public protesting the Trump administration's immigration policies. At 1:50 p.m. a GEO Group guard invited Baraka to enter the inner gate of Delaney Hall, which the mayor did. He waited there for about 40 minutes, apparently for the Democratic lawmakers inside the facility. According to the lawsuit, Patel confronted Baraka at 2:33 p.m., and told him to leave. Baraka argued he was invited in by the guard, which Patel disputed, the court documents state. Minutes later, the members of Congress exited the facility after witnessing the confrontation between the two and informed Patel that they had wanted Baraka there. "After the members of Congress conveyed their thoughts, Defendant Patel threatened to arrest the Mayor," the lawsuit states. "In response, the Mayor said: 'I'm leaving now.'" Baraka was arrested by about 20 DHS agents, some masked, about 5 minutes after he left the GEO Group property, according to the filing. "Egged on by Defendant Patel, who ordered the DHS agents to 'take him down' (meaning violently tackle the Mayor of Newark) the agents pushed, shoved and assaulted the Mayor's security team and members of Congress before violently pulling Mayor Baraka's arms and arresting him without probable cause," the lawsuit states. "The DHS agents handcuffed the Mayor behind his back in an effort to effect maximum humiliation for what Defendant Habba's office later admitted was an alleged 'petty offense.'" The lawsuit, which is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, also accuses Habba of having a political agenda to forward Trump's immigration policies and to help Republicans in the state. When Habba told the court she was ending the prosecution of Baraka, federal Judge Andre Espinosa admonished the district attorney. "The hasty arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, followed swiftly by the dismissal of the trespassing charges a mere 13 days later, suggests a worrisome misstep by your office," Espinosa said. "An arrest, particularly of a public figure, is not a preliminary investigative tool. It is a severe action, carrying significant reputational and personal consequences, and it should only be undertaken after a thorough, dispassionate evaluation of credible evidence." On Monday, after learning of Baraka's intention to sue her, Habba retorted: "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." Habba later last month filed charges of assaulting law enforcement against McIver in connection with Baraka's arrest. Baraka has voiced solidarity with McIver, and McIver described the charges against her as "purely political."
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Democrat mayor SUES Trump darling Alina Habba for ordering his ICE arrest
The mayor of Newark, New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against Trump prosecutor Alina Habba following a dramatic arrest last month at an immigration detention facility. Democrat Ras Baraka, who is running to be New Jersey's next governor, filed the federal lawsuit on Tuesday against Habba, the interim US Attorney for the District of New Jersey. The suit accuses her of false arrest, malicious prosecution and defaming him in an effort to advance her political career, according to the Wall Street Journal. The MAGA prosecutor had charged Baraka with trespassing when he arrived at Delaney Hall in the outskirts of Newark, which is now being used as a migrant detention center, on May 9. But less than two weeks later, Habba - who once served as Trump's personal attorney - announced her office was dropping the charges against Baraka without offering any explanation. The mayor is seeking an unspecified amount of 'compensatory damages for pain, suffering, stress, humiliation' and other purported consequences of the incident, as well as punitive damages. However, Baraka argued his lawsuit 'is not about revenge' 'Ultimately, I think this is about them taking accountability for what has happened to me,' he said at a news conference outside the federal courthouse in Newark. 'Somebody should be responsible for what happened,' he continued, according to the New York Times. 'To handcuff me, to drag me away, to take my fingerprints and mugshots for a misdemeanor, it's egregious and malicious.' 'The reality is I didn't do anything. I went down there for a press conference. I was invited to the gate, people approached me and were very loud and abusive to me,' he continued. The mayor has maintained that he was invited to the property to conduct oversight along with members of New Jersey's congressional delegation - Rob Menendez, LaMonica McIver and Bonnie Watson Coleman. But when Baraka arrived, he claims Ricky Patel, the supervising agent with Homeland Security Investigations who is also named as a defendant in the case, denied him entry into the facility and asked him to leave the premises. Patel even threatened to arrest him and allegedly egged his fellow agents to 'take him down, at which point Baraka says Homeland Security agents violently pulled his arms, handcuffed him and took him into custody, Politico reports. Dramatic footage from the scene then shows the mayor walking from the facility side of the incident showed Baraka walking from the facility side of the fence to the street side, where residents were protesting the ICE facility. Soon, uniformed officials could be seen coming to arrest him. As they did, people could be heard urging the group to protect the mayor. The video shows a crowd forming and pushing as officials led off a handcuffed Baraka. The mayor's lawsuit now claims Habba authorized his 'false arrest' in violation of the Fourth Amendment despite 'clear evidence that Mayor Baraka had not committed the petty offense of' defiant trespass. It argues she instead was acting as a 'political operative' in bringing the trespassing charge against him. The federal suit also contends that race played a role in the episode, alleging that Habba and Patel sought 'to assure that the evening news included videos of the black mayor of Newark, New Jersey being led away in handcuffs by federal officials.' Additionally, it accuses Habba of making defamatory statements in media interviews and on social media, wrongfully accusing Baraka of grandstanding and saying he willingly chose to disobey the law. Much of the lawsuit leans on remarks US Magistrate Judge Andre Espinosa made as he hit out at Habba and her office when he threw away the charges. 'The hasty arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, followed swiftly by the dismissal of these trespassing charges a mere 13 days later, suggests a worrisome misstep by your Office,' the judge wrote in his ruling. The fact that the trespassing charge was withdrawn, Baraka said, meant he had to defend himself in the media and argue his case when he had done nothing wrong. 'I want somebody to apologize, write a letter, say this was wrong, come out and say, "We shouldn´t have done this,"' the mayor said at his press conference. Aides to the Newark mayor have further claimed that Patel received several calls just before Baraka was taken into custody, according to the Times. His lawyer, Nancy Erika Smith, said the lawsuit will now enable her to subpoena the supervising agent's phone records to determine who he may have been speaking to. The lawsuit also serves as a response to another suit the Justice Department filed against Newark and three other New Jersey cities over their sanctuary policies, Baraka said. But it comes on the first day of early voting in the Democratic primary for governor to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. The Newark mayor has portrayed himself in the election as the most aggressive Democrat to fight the Trump administration. At his press conference on Tuesday, though, Baraka described the arrest and fallout as a distraction from his campaign. 'But I also think that us not responding is consent,' he said. He is being supported in his lawsuit by Congresswoman McIver, who is facing two assault charges relating to the May 9 protest. She has denied the charges, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled later this month. 'The way Mayor Baraka was treated at Delaney Hall was outrageous,' she told 'It is beyond clear that there were never any legal or factual basis to arrest or charge him. 'The [Trump] administration's playing politics with our justice system is disgraceful,' McIver added. Habba shared her thoughts on the matter in a post on X Monday night In fact Smith said she expects to sue Trump's administration, but is required to wait six months. 'It's really important for all of us to stand up for democracy,' the lawyer said. 'Mayor Baraka files this lawsuit not just to vindicate himself, but for all of us, for our freedom, for all our constitutional rights.' Neither Habba nor Patel have responded to the lawsuit, and has reached out to the US Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey. But in a post on X Monday night, Habba wrote: '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.' Meanwhile, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told 'Mayor Baraka is trying to rewrite history with this frivolous lawsuit. 'It's too late: The American people saw with their own eyes his actions that put the safety of our law enforcement agents and the staff at Delaney Hall at risk — all for the sake of the dangerous criminals housed there.'
