NEWARK, N.J. (Diya TV) — Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced criminal charges Monday against Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), alleging she interfered with federal law enforcement during a recent visit to an ICE detention facility in Newark.
The announcement marks a dramatic escalation in tensions following a high-profile congressional delegation’s visit to Delaney Hall on May 9. The charges come under Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 111(a)(1), which prohibits assaulting, impeding, or interfering with federal officers.
Habba accused McIver of crossing the line during the visit, which also included Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) and Reps. Rob Menendez (D-NJ) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ). Mayor Baraka was arrested at the scene on a misdemeanor trespassing charge, but those charges were later dropped.
“Today my office has charged Congresswoman McIver with violation of Title 18…for assaulting, impeding, and interfering with law enforcement,” Habba wrote on X.
In a statement, Habba emphasized the seriousness of the charges and said her office had worked to avoid bringing them.
“I have persistently made efforts to address these issues without bringing criminal charges and have given Representative McIver every opportunity to come to a resolution, but she has unfortunately declined,” Habba stated. “No one is above the law — politicians or otherwise.”
Habba also extended an olive branch to Mayor Baraka, inviting him for a guided tour of Delaney Hall and declaring that the facility has “nothing to hide.” She cited public interest and a desire for unity in dropping the charge against the mayor.
“The citizens of New Jersey deserve unified leadership so we can get to work to keep our state safe,” Habba said. “Congressional oversight is an important constitutional function and one that I fully support. However, that is not at issue in this case.”
Rep. McIver, however, sharply criticized the charges as politically motivated and misleading. In a statement released Monday afternoon, she defended her actions and those of her colleagues, asserting that the delegation was lawfully exercising congressional oversight.
“We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before, and our visit should have been peaceful and short,” McIver said. “Instead, ICE agents created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation when they chose to arrest Mayor Baraka.”
She added, “The charges against me are purely political—they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight.”
McIver also pledged to continue working for her district and said she is confident the legal process will clear her name.
“This administration will never stop me from working for the people in our district and standing up for what is right. I look forward to the truth being laid out clearly in court.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has not yet released formal charging documents in the case, leaving the exact nature of McIver’s alleged conduct unclear. It remains to be seen how the case will proceed and whether video footage or eyewitness testimony from the May 9 visit will be used in court.
This case has drawn attention from legal observers and civil rights groups concerned about the potential chilling effect on congressional oversight of federal facilities. Congressional visits to ICE detention centers have become more common in recent years, especially amid growing scrutiny over immigration enforcement practices.
