Tonight in Your Rights: "Good grief"
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka vindicated. Alina Habba chided. Mahmoud Khalil reunited, and more.
This newsletter features two quick retreats by the Trump administration: a dropped criminal case and a shelved policy. Pushback works.
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Even Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was reportedly surprised by the tongue-lashing prosecutors received by a federal judge who dismissed a criminal trespassing case against him on Wednesday.
“Jesus, he tore these people a new a**hole. Good grief,” Baraka was heard saying on a hot mic, according to the New Jersey Globe.
The prosecutors who were berated by the judge report to interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, who has extensive experience being dressed down in court during her tenure as Donald Trump’s civil attorney.
Possible action item: Court-watching
Mayor Baraka had large crowds outside court during his first court appearance, and it was a visible symbol of the public outcry.
As we detailed here before, one federal judge issued heavy sanctions against Habba for filing a “frivolous” racketeering lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and others, and another federal judge threatened her with jail time for her courtroom antics in the E. Jean Carroll defamation trial.
Add the Baraka litigation to the list of lowlights.
Calling the collapse of the case “embarrassing,” U.S. Magistrate Judge Andre Espinosa reportedly gave the government a five-minute reprimand: “Your office must operate with a higher standard than that,” telling prosecutors that their most important client is “justice itself.”
On May 9, Baraka was arrested while trying to perform oversight at Delaney Hall, an immigration detention center run by Geo Group, a private prison company Baraka is suing.
On the same day Baraka’s charge was dropped, Habba announced a criminal case against another Democratic politician: Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), accusing her of assaulting police during a melée at the facility when agents tried to effectuate Baraka’s arrest. A judge released McIver on her own recognizance after a 15-minute virtual hearing.
Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson breaks down all the irregularities behind that charging decision on MSNBC.
Mahmoud Khalil to see his wife
The Columbia University student targeted in the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestine protesters must be allowed to see his wife and counsel before his immigration hearing on Thursday, a federal judge ruled.
“On May 22, 2025, Khalil shall be permitted to meet with (1) his lawyer or lawyers and (2) his wife, Noor Ramez Abdalla — at a single, joint meeting,” U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz wrote.
It’s unclear whether Khalil will be able to see his newborn baby, but his attorneys at the American Civil Liberties Union say that’s their hope.
“Rare reversal by the government on immigration”
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Trump administration agreed to rescind rules barring international students from being in the United States if they were only taking classes online.
In the paper’s words, it’s a “rare reversal by the government on immigration policy.”
The agreement was reportedly announced during a brief federal court hearing today in a case challenging the rule change as “arbitrary and capricious.”
There was another big immigration development inside the same District of Massachusetts courthouse, which we reported on earlier today.
A federal judge found the government violated his order by sending immigrants on a flight to South Sudan.
The court ordered that the immigrants on that flight be provided with counsel, telephones, confidential communications, and a chance to argue that they have a “reasonable fear” of harm if transferred to South Sudan.
Be on the lookout
I spoke to
of the earlier today about that big decision on the flight to South Sudan, and I’ll post the interview in full on Thursday morning.Also look out for my interview with
on The Daily Beans podcast.
Adam, thank you for following this case regarding both Ras Baraka and Rep. McIver. I hope other members of Congress wake up and realize they need to be fully engaged in keeping a short leash on the Executive branch.