It went from oversight to out-of-pocket real quick.
Rep. LaMonica McIver, the Democratic Congresswoman from Newark, has officially been indicted by a federal grand jury on three serious charges tied to a confrontation with federal agents outside Delaney Hall Immigration Detention Center. This comes after a chaotic scene unfolded during a congressional visit where Newark’s Mayor Ras Baraka ended up in cuffs and now McIver could be facing up to 17 years behind bars.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, McIver allegedly blocked Homeland Security officers who were trying to arrest Mayor Baraka, even physically putting herself between him and the agents. The indictment says she used her forearms to strike agents—twice. One charge even claims she slammed into a Homeland Security agent to stop the arrest.
Back in May, McIver and other lawmakers visited the newly reopened facility, which has already stirred controversy in Newark due to how it was launched. The $1 billion contract to run it caused friction between local officials and the feds. During the visit, when Baraka arrived, officers tried to remove him, saying he didn’t have clearance. That’s when things got heated.
Photos and video suggest Baraka barely made it past the gate before the arrest. McIver and others tried to shield him, and that’s when the confrontation with ICE agents escalated. Fast forward; Baraka’s trespassing charge was quietly dropped. But McIver? She’s now the one facing multiple counts.
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She says it’s all political. Her legal team insists she was just doing her job, conducting oversight as a Congresswoman. Supporters, including fellow lawmakers, are backing her and calling out what they see as a politically motivated attack by prosecutors.
The case is being handled by Judge Stacey D. Adams, and all eyes are now on whether McIver’s defense will hold up in court—or if this will be a major legal setback for the Newark lawmaker.
Stay tuned.
