Washington, DC —Yesterday, the Trump Administration’s Department of Justice announced charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), following the recent incident outside the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark, NJ. Rep. McIver, along with fellow New Jersey delegation Members Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and Rob Menendez (D-NJ) and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, were attempting to conduct legally-mandated congressional oversight of the ICE facility in line with their official duties.
According to America’s Voice, the news of the charges against Rep. McIver is the latest disturbing incident of how this administration is weaponizing immigration and related issues as part of a larger attempt to seize executive powers and dismantle the core pillars of our democracy.
According to Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice:
“Once again immigration is the point of entry used by this administration to expand its attack and dismantle core principles of our democracy. From seeking to chill free speech and engage in overt political retribution to suspending due process and ignoring the constitutional separation of powers, it adds up to a dangerous moment for American democracy and the rights and liberties of every American. We must be clear eyed about what is at stake. We cannot pretend it’s business as usual.”
Of note, today at 2 PM Eastern, House Republicans will hold a hearing in the Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Oversight entitled “Examining Threats to ICE Operations” – and likely to feature the Rep. McIver arrest as a key discussion point. Be on the lookout for local New Jersey community members and advocates attendance at the hearing as a show of support for Rep. McIver.
