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Alina Habba has left her position as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor. This follows a judicial decision that questioned her legal standing to occupy the role.

Official Departure

The head of the Justice Department, Pam Bondi, announced her stepping down on Monday. In a statement that the judicial decision made it "untenable" for the official to effectively run her office.

"Let no one confuse following the order as giving up," she wrote. "This battle will now extend throughout America."

Court Ruling

Habba's exit was triggered by a federal appellate panel ruled that she had been unlawfully serving as the federal prosecutor. This ruling is expected to impact many prosecutions in the Garden State.

The appellate judges said that a acting appointment that bypassed Senate approval breached the federal law governing appointments.

Future Role and Reaction

The Attorney General added that she will remain at the Department of Justice as a high-level advisor. Habba plans to challenge the decision of the disqualification, in the hope of achieving a reversal.

In a statement, she wrote that judges "must not second-guess the appointment of lawyers responsible for performing the primary duty of the administration of prosecuting crime."

Accomplishments Cited

The attorney general praised her tenure and pointed out that while she was in charge, the Newark saw a one-fifth decrease in crime. Additionally that the Camden recorded its first summer in 50 years with no murders.

Connection to Donald Trump

The 41-year-old attorney, was initially recruited to Donald Trump's lawyers in recent years. She went on to defended the former president in his New York criminal case in New York last year, leading to his guilty verdict on dozens of charges of document fraud.

Earlier, Habba took on the top New Jersey post, Trump had revealed he was selecting her as his White House advisor during his second administration, describing Habba as a steadfast ally and a "tireless advocate for justice".