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Federal charges have been filed against Congresswoman LaMonica McIver for allegedly assaulting, impeding, and interfering with law enforcement officers during a confrontation at a Newark immigration facility. The charges, announced by the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey on Monday (May 19), stem from an incident on May 9 at the Delaney Hall detention center. McIver, along with fellow Democratic lawmakers Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez, was present during the altercation, which occurred shortly after the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.
Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, who previously served as a lawyer for President Donald Trump, stated that efforts to resolve the issue without criminal charges were unsuccessful. In response, McIver called the charges political, asserting that they misrepresent her actions and aim to deter legislative oversight. "We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, and our visit should have been peaceful and short," McIver said. "The charges against me are purely political."
The Department of Homeland Security initially claimed that members of Congress assaulted officers, with body camera footage allegedly showing a physical altercation. However, the lawmakers have denied these allegations, stating that the footage shows them being physically touched by officers as they moved along a fence.
House Democratic leaders issued a statement defending McIver, arguing that there is no credible evidence of criminal activity and labeling the charges as an attempt to intimidate Congress. "An attack on one of us is an attack on the American people," the statement read.