Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) has been charged with assault of two federal officers, Newark District Attorney Alina Habba announced Monday. Specifically, McIver is charged with violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1) for assaulting, impeding, and interfering with law enforcement.
On X.com, McIver responded to the charges that she shoved an ICE officer who refused her admittance to a detention center during her unannounced visit to the Delaney Hall Facility. “Prosecutors say the first officer McIver allegedly assaulted was a Homeland Security Investigations agent and the second was an ICE agent,” Fox News reports.
McIver uses half-truths in an attempt to shift accountability for the incident onto the ICE agents – despite video apparently showing McIver scuffling with federal agents.
For example, McIver was correct in saying she was doing her job by performing oversight of the Delaney Hall Facility. However, McIver’s visit was unannounced and congressional staff must give 24 hours’ notice.
Likewise, the congresswoman calls the arrest of one of her cohorts, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, an “unnecessary and unsafe confrontation.” But, mixed groups (individuals who aren’t members of Congress or their staff) must go through the ICE field office with the jurisdiction for a tour. This failure is what led to the arrest of Mayor Baraka, who is not congressional staff and did not go through the appropriate channels of communication. Instead, Mayor Baraka went with McIver and was arrested for trespassing after he refused to leave the premise.
Once again, McIver was correct: the Mayor getting arrested was completely unnecessary – but, only because it could have been prevented by simply following the rules. She did not have to take him with her, nor did she have to escalate the situation by hitting a federal agent. Charges have since been dropped for Mayor Baraka.
In an interview with CNN, McIver said she wouldn’t change anything about her behavior that day, repeating her claim that she was there to simply to perform an “oversight visit.” “We were given a tour, aside from all of the chaos that ensued,” McIver added.
Rep. McIver admitted that she had rejected the Justice Department’s offer of a plea deal because she feels the “The Justice Department wants me to admit to doing something I did not do; I just came here to do my job.” This statement stands in stark contrast to the footage of her barging into the ICE facility and hitting a federal agent.
President Donald Trump has expressed support for McIver being charged with assault:
“Oh give me a break, did you see her? She was out of control, the days of woke are over, that woman.”
…
“That woman was shoving federal agents, she was out of control, the days of that crap are over in this country, we’re going to have law and order.”