New Jersey congresswoman charged for ICE facility scuffle

The interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, on Monday said she was charging Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement. McIver and two other Congress members were allegedly involved in an interaction with officers outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Newark, N.J., on May 9. Habba also said she was dropping a trespassing charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, whose arrest as he tried to enter the facility kicked off the altercation.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the decision to charge McIver was based on an investigation and thorough review of video footage. A video of the incident released by the Department of Homeland Security appeared to show McIver pushing her elbows into a masked and uniformed officer.

Habba said she had given McIver opportunities to address the issue without pursuing criminal charges, which McIver declined. If convicted of assault including physical contact, the congresswoman could be fined or imprisoned for up to eight years, or both.

How did McIver respond to the charges? In a Monday statement, she blamed ICE agents for creating an unsafe situation and said she intended the visit to be peaceful and short. She was trying to carry out congressional oversight duties by inspecting the treatment of detainees, she said. She looked forward to the truth being laid out in court, she said.

What did Democratic leadership say about the charges? There is no evidence that McIver engaged in criminal activity, House Democratic leaders said in a joint statement. Officials took McIver and fellow representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez on an hourlong tour of the facility after the alleged altercation. That wouldn’t have happened if McIver had assaulted anyone, the statement said. House Democrats would respond vigorously, the statement said.