Pelosi Responds To Trump DOJ Announcement
In a scene that’s quickly becoming one of the most politically charged moments of the year, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba has made headlines by filing federal charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver for allegedly assaulting law enforcement officers during a tense confrontation at Delaney Hall detention facility. Meanwhile, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka walks free, as his trespassing charge was formally dismissed.
🚨BREAKING: I have obtained exclusive ICE officer body cam footage clearly showing Democrat Rep. LaMonica McIver verbally and physically assaulting federal agents in New Jersey after illegally entering an ICE detention facility.
In the video you can see indisputable evidence of… pic.twitter.com/msAQBz23oJ
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 10, 2025
The confrontation occurred earlier this month when McIver, Baraka, and fellow lawmakers Robert Menendez Jr. and Bonnie Watson Coleman approached the ICE-run facility alongside protestors. According to DHS officials, the group allegedly breached a secured area as an ICE transport bus was pulling in. That moment, captured through various accounts and social media posts, quickly spiraled into chaos. ICE officials claim the group stormed the gates; McIver claims ICE escalated an otherwise lawful inspection.
Alina Habba was unequivocal in her justification for the federal assault charge under Title 18, Section 111 (a)(1): “That conduct cannot be overlooked… it is my Constitutional obligation to ensure that our federal law enforcement is protected.”
The baseless charges against Congresswoman LaMonica McIver are nothing more than a political stunt and a brazen attack on the constitutional Article One powers of the Congress.
Congresswoman McIver was conducting legitimate oversight of an ICE facility as permitted by law. I…
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) May 20, 2025
This charge, if proven, is serious—McIver faces multiple felony counts and potential jail time. Her response, however, was defiant. “The charges against me are purely political,” she wrote, asserting that her actions were part of legitimate congressional oversight, not criminal activity. She doubled down on the claim that ICE “created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation.”
Adding further intensity to the unfolding saga, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem reinforced her support for law enforcement: “No one is above the law… you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent.”
JUST IN: U.S. Attorney Alina Habba has officially charged Rep. LaMonica McIver for allegedly assaulting law enforcement at the ICE facility in Newark, NJ.
MSNBC is reacting well to the news.
“Representative LaMonica Mclver assaulted, impeded, and interfered with law enforcement… pic.twitter.com/68HMsn2F9e
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 20, 2025
Mayor Baraka’s role in the fray led to a misdemeanor trespassing charge, which has since been dropped. While standing firm on his criticism of Delaney Hall, Baraka expressed appreciation for the dismissal and reiterated support for McIver, whom he described as “a dear friend” and “a daughter of Newark.”
The dispute, however, is about more than just legal culpability. At its core lies a broader debate about federal detention practices, the bounds of legislative oversight, and the limits of protest. Delaney Hall, now a privately operated ICE detention center run by GEO Group, has come under fire for allegedly operating without a valid city certificate of occupancy. Activists argue the facility has become emblematic of broader failings in the U.S. immigration and detention systems.
We. Will. Not. Be. Intimidated. https://t.co/66eZ02sP8i
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) May 20, 2025