In what’s being called a shocking display of reckless behavior, Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) has been formally charged with assaulting, resisting, and impeding federal law enforcement officers during a chaotic incident at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey.
The charges were announced by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba — and they’re sending a clear message: not even members of Congress are above the law.
“No one is above the law,” Secretary Noem posted on X (formerly Twitter). “If any person, regardless of political party, influence, or status, assaults a law enforcement officer… you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Earlier this month, McIver — joined by fellow Democrat Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Robert Menendez Jr., and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka — showed up at the Delaney Hall ICE facility claiming to conduct a “federal oversight” visit.
But what happened next didn’t resemble any kind of orderly congressional oversight. According to DHS and multiple reports, the group allegedly stormed the facility, broke through the security gate as a bus of detainees was arriving, and clashed with ICE officers. Mayor Baraka was arrested at the scene for criminal trespass.
Video footage released by DHS appears to contradict the Democrats’ account of the incident. In one clip, several members of the group can be seen pushing and shoving law enforcement officers.
“Members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
While McIver now faces federal charges under Title 18, Section 111(a)(1) of the U.S. Code, which deals with assaulting or impeding federal officers, Mayor Baraka’s charges were dropped — at least for now.
“After extensive consideration, we have agreed to dismiss Mayor Baraka’s misdemeanor charge of trespass for the sake of moving forward,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba. “The government has nothing to hide at this facility.”
Habba added that she personally invited Baraka for a proper, peaceful tour of Delaney Hall.
Still, she emphasized that McIver’s behavior could not be ignored:
“Her conduct cannot be overlooked.”
As expected, McIver quickly responded to the charges by playing the victim card. She insists that the charges are politically motivated and denies ever assaulting anyone.
“The charges against me are purely political—they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight,” she said in a statement.
In a CNN interview, McIver doubled down, saying,
“I honestly do not know how to body slam anyone… There’s no video that supports me body slamming anyone.”
Her fellow Democrat, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, also tried to downplay the incident, claiming on CNN that “nothing happened” and that they were the ones being “pushed and shoved.”
But DHS wasn’t having it. They released video footage on social media showing the group physically confronting ICE officers — a move that directly refutes the Democrats’ narrative.
Whether you call it a stunt, a publicity grab, or a disgraceful abuse of office, one thing is clear: McIver and her Democrat allies pushed the line too far.
“Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility,” DHS officials stated plainly.
This incident highlights an increasing pattern we’ve seen from certain Democrat politicians — where activism replaces accountability, and political theater overrides law and order.
For many Americans, especially law-abiding citizens and supporters of law enforcement, this sends a dangerous message: that members of Congress feel entitled to break the rules in the name of ideology.
This isn’t just about McIver. It’s about the growing divide between those who enforce the law and those who believe they’re above it. As DHS Secretary Kristi Noem made clear:
“If you assault a law enforcement officer… you will be prosecuted.”
That’s the America most of us want — one where the rules apply to everyone. Even Congress.
