New Jersey Congress Members Encounter Legal Trouble After ICE Facility Confrontation

A trio of House Democrats from New Jersey found themselves at the center of controversy following a chaotic visit to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility. This incident, which escalated into a physical confrontation with federal agents, has prompted potential legal repercussions from the Department of Homeland Security.

Representatives LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Robert Menendez, along with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, reportedly stormed the Delaney Hall Detention Center on Friday. The visit ended with Baraka’s arrest on charges of trespassing, while claims surfaced that an ICE agent experienced an assault during the melee, which was captured on video.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin highlighted the seriousness of the situation. On a recent episode of Fox News Live, she stated, “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. Just because you are a member of Congress or just because you’re a public official does not mean you are above the law.”

This statement underscores the gravity of the alleged actions taken by the lawmakers during their oversight visit. McLaughlin emphasized, “If you assault a law enforcement officer, we will also make sure you answer to justice. So I think that arrests are still on the table for this. This is an ongoing investigation.” 

Reports indicate that DHS possesses body camera footage showing members of Congress engaging in physical altercations with ICE officers. Axios noted allegations that one Congress member was seen body-slamming a female ICE officer.

During the visit, the lawmakers joined a group of protesters who reportedly rushed the facility at the moment a bus of detainees was entering the security gate. In a statement following the incident, McIver took to social media, claiming ICE agents “shoved” her and “manhandled” Watson Coleman.

At a subsequent press conference, McIver escalated her accusations, stating she had been “assaulted by multiple ICE officers while regional directors of ICE watched it happen.” This statement adds another layer of complexity to the incident, which has drawn significant media attention.

DHS’s official footage, which was shared on social media, appears to depict McIver aggressively maneuvering through law enforcement officers at the facility gate. The shocking visuals raised eyebrows and prompted further discussion about the appropriate boundaries of congressional oversight.

Watson Coleman, who also reported being shoved by an officer, defended her actions, claiming they visited the facility