Four Black Democratic U.S. senators are standing firmly behind Congresswoman LaMonica McIver, condemning the criminal charges against her and calling on the Trump Administration to drop the case.
“We stand with Representative LaMonica McIver in the face of efforts to intimidate her and silence those who seek to hold this administration accountable,” said Senators Cory Booker, Raphael Warnock, Lisa Blunt Rochester and Angela Alsobrooks in a joint statement shared this week.
Congresswoman McIver, a freshman representing New Jersey’s 10th District, was charged with assaulting and interfering with law enforcement after a tense May 9 encounter with ICE agents in Newark during an oversight visit to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center.
She was joined by fellow New Jersey Democrats Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman and Robert Menendez Jr. — all three were investigating reports of mistreatment inside the facility. Like many members of Congress, they were acting well within their legal rights to conduct a surprise inspection.
According to McIver and others present, what began as a routine visit quickly escalated when ICE officers blocked Newark Mayor Ras Baraka from entering — and then arrested him.
Prosecutors allege that McIver “slammed her forearms” into officers — an accusation she firmly denies. Earlier this week, under interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, the Justice Department dropped the charges against Baraka but said McIver would still face prosecution.
Habba, who once served as a spokesperson for Donald Trump, is now being accused of using her new role to push the Trump administration’s political agenda.
“The charges against me are purely political — they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight,” McIverr said in a statement following the announcement of charges. “This administration will never stop me from working for the people in our district and standing up for what is right.”
She added, “I am thankful for the outpouring of support I have received and I look forward to the truth being laid out clearly in court.”
A federal judge has since reprimanded DOJ prosecutors over their handling of Baraka’s case and dismissed the charges entirely, calling them “baseless.” McIver’s supporters say it’s time for the same treatment in her case.
“The Department of Justice should drop the case against Representative McIver and direct their resources toward serious matters of public safety,” said Senators Booker, Warnock, Blunt Rochester, and Alsobrooks. “Their focus should be on faithfully following the law, not settling political scores.”