The Justice Department announced on Monday that it has filed charges against Representative LaMonica McIver, a Democrat from New Jersey, in relation to an incident that allegedly occurred this month at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility located in Newark. Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, made the announcement via social media platform X, where she accused the Democratic lawmaker of “assaulting, impeding, and interfering with law enforcement.”
In response to the allegations, Rep. McIver labeled the charges as “purely political” and expressed her eagerness to have the truth revealed in a court setting. “Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues to inspect the treatment of ICE detainees at Delaney Hall in my district. We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before, and our visit should have been peaceful and short,” McIver stated. She further emphasized that the situation escalated when ICE agents created an unnecessary confrontation by arresting Mayor Baraka.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche supported Habba’s remarks on X, stating that “assaults on federal law enforcement will not be tolerated.” This reinforces the serious nature of the charges filed against McIver and highlights the Justice Department's stance on protecting law enforcement personnel.
In a related development, U.S. Attorney Habba announced that her office has decided to drop trespassing charges against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was arrested on the same day that McIver and two other House Democrats visited the ICE facility. “After extensive consideration, we have agreed to dismiss Mayor Baraka's misdemeanor charge of trespass for the sake of moving forward,” Habba stated. However, she clarified that the dismissal of the charges against Baraka, who is also a candidate for New Jersey governor, does not conclude the situation.
The charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver have sparked a significant political response, drawing attention to the ongoing discussions about the treatment of detainees and the role of law enforcement. As this situation unfolds, both McIver and Baraka remain in the public eye, with implications that could affect their political futures. Stay updated on this developing story and more by following live politics coverage.
