Trending Politics reported McIver joined fellow U.S. Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and Rob Menendez (D-NJ) in storming the Delaney Hall Detention Center in New Jersey earlier this week. The group, along with Newark Mayor Ray Baraka, claimed they were attempting to “inspect” the facility when they stormed past the facility’s exterior gate and proceeded to clash with federal agents.
Baraka was arrested on trespassing charges and released after remaining in ICE custody for five hours.
Additional charges could be forthcoming for McIver and other lawmakers, however, as bodycam footage appears to show the congresswoman elbowing and shoving a federal agent. DHS Assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed that the incident is under review, adding that McIver could indeed face felony charges.
“If it was a typical U.S. citizen, and they tried to storm into a detention facility that’s housing dangerous criminals or any person at all, they would be arrested,” McLaughlin told Fox News.
“Just because you are a member of Congress or just because you’re a public official, does not mean you are above the law. If you assault a law enforcement officer, we will also make sure you answer to justice,” she added. “So, I think that arrests are still on the table for this. This is an ongoing investigation.”
The Democrat lawmaker later accused ICE of “creating” the confrontation. “They created that chaos and then ultimately went to arrest the mayor of the largest city of New Jersey, who is my mayor and my constituent. And it was very difficult to watch that happen. But absolutely, I did not body slam anyone,” she said.
Rep. Watson Coleman took things a step further, claiming the footage was “manufactured.”
“No, if there’s any such body—kind of footage, it is footage that is manufactured for this purpose. Because I said it before, and I’ll say it again, they are lying.”
We’d say the evidence from the body cam is pretty clear and our good friend Julie Kelly has asked the essential question; will McIver get the same treatment the J6 defendants accused of assaulting a federal officer got?
18 U.S. Code § 111 - Assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, says anyone who forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, impedes, intimidates, or interferes with any person designated in section 1114 of this title while engaged in or on account of the performance of official duties where such acts involve physical contact with the victim of that assault or the intent to commit another felony, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both.
We urge U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba to immediately act upon the crimes recorded in the body cam footage above and arrest LaMonica McIver. We also urge Speaker Mike Johnson to move immediately to expel McIver from the House of Representatives and strip her of any purported immunity she might claim as a Member of Congress.
- New Jersey Democrat U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver
- Assault on ICE agent
- DHS Assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin
- Bodycam footage
- U.S. Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)
- Rob Menendez (D-NJ)
- Delaney Hall Detention Center in New Jersey
- Newark Mayor Ray Baraka
- felony charges
- J6 Defendants
- U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba
