Rep. McIver Released After Charges in Newark ICE Facility Confrontation

Democratic Congresswoman LaMonica McIver was released on her own recognizance Tuesday after being charged with assaulting federal officers during an altercation at a detention facility in Newark. The incident occurred when immigration officials attempted to arrest Newark Mayor Ras Baraka during what lawmakers described as a congressional oversight visit.

McIver has strongly denied the charges, asserting she was simply performing her congressional oversight duties when the confrontation erupted. A preliminary hearing in the case has been scheduled for June 11.

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Charges Follow Chaotic Scene at Detention Facility

The charges stem from a May 9 incident at Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, where McIver and fellow Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman and Robert Menendez Jr. conducted what they described as a congressional oversight visit. According to court documents, federal prosecutors allege McIver “slammed her forearm into the body” of one agent and “used each of her forearms to forcibly strike” another during the arrest of Mayor Baraka.

Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, a former lawyer for President Donald Trump, announced the charges against McIver on Monday night before they were made public. “No one is above the law — politicians or otherwise,” Habba stated, according to NBC News.

In a twist to the case, Habba also announced Monday that her office would drop the trespassing charges against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was arrested during the same confrontation, “for the sake of moving forward.”

McIver Denies Wrongdoing, Claims Political Motivation

McIver has categorically rejected the allegations, telling reporters, “It’s political intimidation, and I’m looking forward to my day in court.” In a statement, she described the charges as “purely political—they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight.”

The congresswoman’s attorney, Paul Fishman—a former U.S. attorney for New Jersey—called the decision to charge McIver “spectacularly inappropriate,” according to The Washington Post. “She went to Delaney Hall to do her job,” Fishman stated. “Rather than facilitating that inspection, ICE agents chose to escalate what should have been a peaceful situation into chaos.”

Video footage of the incident shows a chaotic scene as ICE officers moved to arrest Baraka, with lawmakers and protesters attempting to intervene. The Department of Homeland Security released body camera footage showing McIver in physical contact with officers, though McIver told CNN, “I honestly do not know how to body slam anyone, and there’s no video that supports me body slamming anyone.”

Rare Criminal Case Against Sitting Member of Congress

The case represents a rare instance of federal criminal charges against a sitting member of Congress for actions not related to fraud or corruption. Legal experts note that the prosecution immediately taps into a broader power struggle between the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies and Democratic opposition.

House Democratic leaders issued a joint statement defending McIver on Monday, vowing to “vigorously” respond to what they characterized as an illegitimate abuse of power. “An attack on one of us is an attack on the American people. House Democrats will respond vigorously in the days to come at a time, place and manner of our choosing,” the statement read.

Mayor Baraka has also expressed support for McIver, stating: “Congresswoman McIver is a daughter of Newark, past Newark Council President, a former student of mine, and a dear friend. I want to be clear: I stand with LaMonica, and I fully expect her to be vindicated.”

Detention Center at Center of Local Dispute

The Delaney Hall facility at the center of the dispute is a 1,100-bed facility that began housing immigrant detainees earlier this month. Mayor Baraka and Newark officials have argued the facility is operating illegally, claiming the private prison company that runs it, GEO Group, hasn’t obtained necessary certificates to open the building.

The city of Newark has filed a lawsuit against GEO Group, which is ongoing. This local dispute has now escalated into a federal criminal case that highlights broader tensions over immigration policy and congressional oversight authority.

President Trump commented on the charges Tuesday, telling reporters at the Capitol: “I have no idea who she is. That woman was out of control. She was shoving federal agents. She was out of control. The days of that crap are over in this country. We’re going to have law and order.”

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