A volatile encounter at a New Jersey detention facility has exploded into a national controversy, after the Department of Homeland Security released footage showing Democratic Congresswoman LaMonica McIver in a physical altercation with federal immigration agents. The 26-second video—silent but visually charged—shows McIver, clad in a red blazer, appearing to shove or be shoved by ICE officers during an unannounced oversight visit to the Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark. The confrontation, which took place on May 10, has triggered fierce debate over congressional authority, the limits of federal enforcement, and the legal consequences facing elected officials.
The footage, posted to DHS’s official X account, captured a brief but chaotic moment: tensions visibly escalating and the congresswoman attacking an ICE agent in a scene that ultimately ended with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka being arrested for trespassing.
🚨WATCH: US Congresswoman, LaMonica McIver (wearing a red blazer), storms the gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center ASSAULTING an ICE agent. pic.twitter.com/4Q1deds1tl
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 10, 2025
According to DHS, the visit—initiated by McIver and Baraka in protest of Delaney Hall’s continued operation—was unauthorized. Acting DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has denounced the incident as a “political stunt,” while ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons insisted that while lawmakers have the right to inspect detention sites, they must do so “through proper channels and with prior coordination.”
Now, McIver will have to face the consequences of her actions. DHS officials have accused her of assaulting a federal officer, a felony under 18 U.S.C. § 111 that carries the potential for imprisonment.
🚨 Today my office has charged Congresswoman McIver with violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1) for assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/TV00uwRtKq
— US Attorney Habba (@USAttyHabba) May 19, 2025
The charges mark one of the rare instances in modern U.S. history in which a sitting member of Congress is prosecuted for what she claims was official business. Republican lawmakers have seized on the incident to demand accountability, with Vice President J.D. Vance called the footage “a test of Democratic sincerity on the rule of law.”
The fallout comes as the Trump administration continues efforts to implement a nationwide plan to detain and deport over one million undocumented immigrants annually. Facilities like Delaney Hall are central to that effort, and critics warn that clashes between federal agents and local leaders may grow more frequent as communities resist what they view as heavy-handed federal overreach.
