NJ Lawmaker Charged After ICE Facility Protest

Trespassing charges against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka were dropped after his arrest during a protest and congressional oversight visit at Newark's Delaney Hall ICE detention center, with Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba offering Baraka a personal tour to promote transparency. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) now faces charges of assaulting and impeding law enforcement during the same incident, making her the first sitting lawmaker prosecuted by President Trump’s Justice Department in his second term. Habba explained the dismissal of Baraka’s charges was 'for the sake of moving forward.' McIver asserts she was conducting lawful oversight and labels the charges as politically motivated. The incident has heightened political scrutiny surrounding federal law enforcement's actions and conditions at New Jersey immigration detention facilities. No other lawmakers involved have been charged.