A Democrat congresswoman who once swore to uphold the Constitution now faces federal charges for allegedly assaulting ICE agents while defending illegal immigrants – and her best defense seems to be crying “politics.”
At a Glance
- Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) faces two federal counts of assaulting and impeding ICE and Homeland Security agents
- The charges stem from a confrontation at a New Jersey immigration detention facility where McIver allegedly interfered with an arrest
- Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced the charges, sparking cries of “political motivation” from Democrats
- Newark Mayor Ras Baraka had related trespassing charges dropped in the same incident
- A sworn affidavit claims McIver physically engaged with law enforcement officers while trying to block an arrest
Another Democrat Who Thinks Rules Don’t Apply to Them
Ah, the hypocrisy of the left never ceases to amaze. Representative LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey Democrat who presumably took an oath to uphold our laws, now finds herself on the wrong side of them after allegedly assaulting federal agents at an immigration detention facility. The Justice Department has charged McIver with two counts of assaulting, resisting, and impeding both an ICE agent and a Homeland Security Investigations special agent. But naturally, instead of accepting responsibility, the Democratic machine is immediately crying “politics!”
The incident that spawned these charges took place at Delaney Hall, a detention center that was reopened during President Trump’s second term. McIver and her colleagues claim they were conducting “oversight” of detainee treatment when the confrontation occurred. But since when does congressional oversight involve physically interfering with law enforcement? A sworn affidavit states McIver attempted to block the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and physically engaged with officers – which sounds a lot less like “oversight” and a lot more like obstruction.
The Law Applies to Everyone – Even Democrats
Interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba, who previously served as President Trump’s personal attorney, didn’t mince words when announcing the charges: “No one is above the law — politicians or otherwise. It is the job of this office to uphold justice impartially, regardless of who you are. Now we will let the justice system work.” This statement of basic legal principle – that laws apply equally to everyone – apparently strikes Democrats as some kind of outrageous political attack.
“No one is above the law — politicians or otherwise. It is the job of this office to uphold justice impartially, regardless of who you are. Now we will let the justice system work.” – Alina Habba.
What’s particularly telling is that Habba apparently attempted to resolve the matter without charges, but McIver declined. So much for de-escalation and cooperation. Instead, McIver has branded the charges as “purely political” and claims they mischaracterize her actions. House Democrat leader Hakeem Jeffries and his leadership team have predictably circled the wagons, labeling the charges as “extreme” and “morally bankrupt.” These are the same people who were perfectly fine with protesters being thrown in jail for trespassing at the Capitol, by the way.
Rules for Thee But Not for Me
The most infuriating part of this entire saga is the blatant double standard. If this were a Republican congressman charged with assaulting federal agents while interfering with law enforcement, the media would be running wall-to-wall coverage about “right-wing extremism” and “threats to democracy.” Instead, we’re treated to Democrats attempting to reframe physical confrontation with law enforcement as legitimate “congressional oversight.” It seems the party that constantly lectures us about the “rule of law” believes those rules simply don’t apply to them.
“We are lawfully permitted to show up at any federal facility unannounced to conduct an inspection on behalf of the American people. By visiting the detention center in Newark, Rep. McIver and two other Members of Congress were upholding their oath of office. They didn’t assault anyone, but were themselves aggressively mistreated by illegally masked individuals.” – Hakeem Jeffries and his leadership team.
Interestingly, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was also involved in the incident, had trespassing charges against him dropped. One can’t help but wonder what political calculations went into that decision. Meanwhile, video footage shows McIver at the scene, interacting with law enforcement during the protest. Her attorney has criticized the charges as “spectacularly inappropriate,” blaming ICE agents for escalating the situation. Because apparently, it’s always someone else’s fault when Democrats break the law. The American people deserve better than elected officials who think they’re above the same laws they impose on the rest of us.
