U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) was indicted today on federal charges, accused of assaulting and obstructing immigration officers during a confrontation outside Delaney Hall, a detention center in Newark, New Jersey. The three-count indictment was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba.
The charges stem from a May 9 incident where McIver allegedly attempted to disrupt operations at the facility under the guise of a congressional oversight visit. According to the indictment, McIver forcibly impeded and interfered with federal law enforcement officers.
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“As I have stated in the past, it’s my Constitutional obligation as the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for New Jersey to ensure that our federal partners are protected when executing their duties,” Habba stated. “While people are free to express their views for or against particular policies, they must not do so in a manner that endangers law enforcement and the communities those officers serve.”
The indictment carries significant penalties. Count One has a maximum penalty of eight years in prison, Count Two also carries a maximum of eight years, and Count Three has a maximum penalty of up to one year.
In response to the indictment, Representative McIver issued a strong denial, calling the charges a politically motivated attack. “The facts of this case will prove I was simply doing my job and will expose these proceedings for what they are: a brazen attempt at political intimidation,” McIver said in a statement. “This indictment is no more justified than the original charges and is an effort by Trump’s administration to dodge accountability for the chaos ICE caused and scare me out of doing the work I was elected to do.”
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The charges against McIver follow an earlier announcement by Habba in May, which also included the dismissal of a separate misdemeanor trespassing charge against Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. Mayor Baraka had also been protesting at Delaney Hall. Habba stated at the time that Mayor Baraka would be invited to tour Delaney Hall under her supervision.
Mayor Baraka was arrested after attempting to join Representatives McIver, Robert Menendez, and Bonnie Watson Coleman for a scheduled tour of the Delaney Hall immigrant detention facility. Eyewitnesses and video footage indicate that ICE officers blocked Baraka’s entry, leading to a heated exchange before his arrest.
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