On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) was formally indicted by a federal grand jury on felony charges related to her actions during a confrontation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at an immigration detention center in Newark. The indictment accuses McIver of "forcibly impeding" federal officers, a charge that carries a potential prison sentence of up to eight years.
The incident in question occurred on May 9, 2025, at Delaney Hall, a privately operated immigration detention facility under federal contract. McIver, along with fellow New Jersey Democratic Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez Jr., was conducting a congressional oversight visit to the facility, a lawful activity permitted under federal law. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was also present during the visit, which coincided with an immigration protest.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), led by Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, McIver physically obstructed federal agents as they attempted to arrest Mayor Baraka, who was accused of trespassing after entering the facility's secured area. ICE agents warned Baraka to leave, but when they moved to arrest him, McIver allegedly intervened by wrapping her arms around the mayor and "slamming her forearm" into one officer while grabbing another. The indictment includes two felony counts and one misdemeanor count of assaulting, resisting, impeding, and interfering with federal officers. The first two counts each carry a maximum sentence of eight years, while the third carries up to one year in prison.
Habba, a close ally of former President Donald Trump and his former personal defense attorney, emphasized the gravity of the charges in a statement on social media: "While people are free to express their views for or against particular policies, they must not do so in a manner that endangers law enforcement and the communities those officers serve." She further asserted her constitutional obligation as the chief federal law enforcement officer for New Jersey to protect federal partners executing their duties.
Video footage released by the Department of Homeland Security showed McIver rushing after agents as they tried to arrest Baraka outside the facility's gates, shouting to protesters to "surround the mayor." The footage also appears to show McIver's elbows making contact with a masked officer amid the crowd. Notably, the other two members of Congress present during the incident have not been charged.
McIver has vehemently denied the allegations, describing the indictment as politically motivated retaliation. In a statement following the indictment's unsealing, she said, "This indictment is no more justified than the original charges, and is an effort by Trump’s administration to dodge accountability. But it won’t work. I will not be intimidated." Her attorney, Paul J. Fishman, echoed this sentiment, calling the prosecution "political retaliation against a dedicated public servant who refuses to shy away from her oversight responsibilities." Fishman expressed confidence that the legal process would result in McIver's exoneration.
McIver also revealed that prosecutors had attempted to resolve the matter without pressing charges, but she refused to admit to actions she did not commit. "The Justice Department and Alina Habba wanted me to admit to doing something that I did not do, and I was not going to do that," she stated on CNN in May.
The confrontation itself was chaotic and widely publicized. After Baraka was blocked from entering the secured area of Delaney Hall, he moved to public property outside the facility, joining protesters. A scuffle ensued between Baraka, masked law enforcement officials, and the three lawmakers. Baraka was arrested and charged with trespassing, but prosecutors dropped those charges shortly after, drawing criticism from a judge who called the retraction "embarrassing" and cited a "failure to adequately investigate." In response, Baraka filed a wrongful arrest lawsuit last week against Habba and an official from the Department of Homeland Security.
The indictment of McIver comes amid an intensified crackdown by the Trump administration on so-called "sanctuary cities," with Newark appearing on a recently released and disputed list of such jurisdictions. This federal push has heightened tensions between local officials and immigration enforcement agencies nationwide.
Meanwhile, a preliminary hearing scheduled for McIver on June 11, 2025, was canceled, and an arraignment is expected within two weeks, by June 25, 2025. No specific court date for McIver to enter her plea has been announced yet.
In a related development, federal authorities arrested David Huerta, head of the Service Employees International Union of California, during an immigration raid near downtown Los Angeles on June 8–9, 2025. Huerta was charged with conspiring to impede federal immigration enforcement efforts and released from custody on June 10.
The case against McIver highlights the complex and often contentious intersection of immigration enforcement, local governance, and congressional oversight. It also raises questions about the boundaries of lawful protest and protection of federal officers during enforcement operations.
As legal proceedings unfold, McIver and her supporters remain steadfast in their defense, framing the charges as politically motivated attempts to silence dissent and obstruct oversight. On the other hand, federal prosecutors maintain the necessity of upholding law enforcement authority and ensuring the safety of officers carrying out their duties.
This high-profile clash in Newark encapsulates the broader national debate over immigration policy enforcement, local autonomy, and the role of elected officials in navigating these sensitive issues. The coming weeks will likely see intensified scrutiny as McIver's case progresses through the courts and as Newark's political landscape continues to grapple with the fallout.
