Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey pleaded not responsible on Wednesday to federal fees alleging that she assaulted and obstructed immigration officers throughout a tense oversight go to to a detention heart in her state final month.
“I simply omitted of courtroom and pleaded not responsible—as a result of I’m not responsible, and we’ll struggle this. On the finish of the day, that is all about political intimidation. The Trump administration and his colleagues or cronies or no matter you need to name them have weaponized the federal authorities. They’ve weaponized the Division of Justice,” she advised reporters outdoors of a Newark courthouse.
McIver, who was elected to a full time period in November 2024 after successful a particular election two months earlier, stated that she views the prosecution as political retribution aimed toward silencing dissent towards President Donald Trump’s immigration insurance policies.
“They won’t intimidate me. They won’t cease me from doing my job,” she stated.
The costs stem from McIver’s Could 9 go to to Delaney Corridor, a privately operated, 1,000-bed Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. The grievance—introduced by interim U.S. Lawyer Alina Habba, a Republican and Trump appointee—contains three counts: two with a most sentence of as much as eight years and one with a sentence of as much as one 12 months.
U.S. District Decide Jamel Semper has scheduled her trial for November 10.
The indictment is notable—a uncommon felony case towards a sitting member of Congress that doesn’t contain corruption or monetary crimes. It’s additionally the most recent flashpoint in Trump’s escalating battle with Democrats over his immigration coverage.
Throughout the identical go to to Delaney Corridor, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested on a trespassing cost that was later dropped. He’s now suing Habba, alleging “malicious prosecution.”
Tensions proceed to run excessive. New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander was just lately arrested by federal brokers whereas escorting immigrants from courtroom, and Sen. Alex Padilla of California was forcibly eliminated from a Homeland Safety press convention simply days earlier.
Relating to McIver, a video launched by DHS reveals her inside a chainlink enclosure shortly earlier than Baraka’s arrest outdoors of the fence. Within the footage, she strikes by a gate with officers and joins a crowd chanting to encompass the mayor.
The scene is chaotic. McIver is caught in a decent knot of protesters and officers in black face coverings. Her elbows appear to brush towards one officer, however the footage is inconclusive with regard as to if the contact was deliberate or just a results of the encompassing commotion.
Nonetheless, the grievance claims that she “slammed” her forearm into the officer and tried to restrain him. The indictment, which has sparked backlash from Democrats, additionally alleges that she wrapped her arms round Baraka to stop his arrest.
Democratic lawmakers have referred to as the fees outrageous, with some saying that the prosecution is “congressional intimidation, bullying, and excessive abuse of energy.” They level to current legislation that provides members of Congress the specific proper to entry immigration detention facilities with out prior discover—a rule codified in a 2019 spending invoice.
McIver has echoed that, saying that she acted absolutely “in her capability.”
Whether or not the fees prevail or not, McIver’s case is shaping up as a political litmus take a look at—one which will reveal how far the Trump administration is keen to go to punish its critics, and the way strongly these critics plan to push again.
