By Sophie Nieto-Munoz, New Jersey Monitor, June 25, 2025
NEWARK — Rep. LaMonica McIver pleaded not guilty in federal court Wednesday morning to a three-count indictment alleging she assaulted federal officers during a scuffle outside a Newark migrant detention center in May.
McIver, a Democrat who faces up to 17 years in prison if convicted of the charges, told a crowd of supporters gathered outside the courthouse in the blistering heat that the charges do not intimidate her. And she warned colleagues who push back against President Donald Trump’s policies that they could find themselves in her shoes.
“We’ve seen different cases of this administration bullying and intimidating elected leaders, from judges to anyone that gets in their way,” she said. “This is what they do, and we will not stand for it. I will not stand for it.”
U.S. District Court Judge Jamel K. Semper set a tentative trial date of Nov. 10.
McIver is accused of “forcibly” grabbing a federal agent while authorities arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka May 9 outside Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed immigrant detention center that reopened earlier this year. McIver was there that day with two other Democratic members of Congress to conduct an unannounced oversight visit to the facility.
Federal authorities initially charged McIver on May 19 after they dropped Baraka’s trespassing charge. She was indicted earlier this month on three counts of assaulting, resisting, impeding, and interfering with officers. Two of those counts carry a maximum of eight years in prison, and a third misdemeanor charge carries a one-year maximum prison sentence, prosecutors said in court.
Paul Fishman, a former U.S. attorney for New Jersey who represents McIver, said he is eager to challenge the charges and is “confident that when we are done, the legal system will vindicate the congresswoman.”
McIver spoke in court only to plead not guilty in front of a room filled with reporters and her supporters, including Baraka, a Democrat who is now suing acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for malicious prosecution.
“Everything that happened as a result of that is wrong from the start. It’s absolutely incorrect,” Baraka said before Wednesday’s court hearing. “The congresswoman had a right to be there.”
Habba did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Habba previously said she’s investigating Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matt Platkin over a state directive banning local law enforcement from assisting in civil immigration enforcement. She has said she wants to use her office to help “turn New Jersey red.”
Under new guidance released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, members of Congress are now asked to give immigration officials at least 72 hours notice for a visit to its facilities.
McIver first joined Congress in September to represent the 10th District, which includes parts of Hudson, Union, and Essex counties, including Newark.
