McIver Said She Will Keep Fighting For Constituents Despite Federal Charges

Though facing the possibility of years in prison and mounting legal bills, U.S. Rep LaMonica McIver (D-10), says she refuses to be intimidated by what she calls a politically motivated prosecution.

On Monday, McIver held a virtual conversation with the progressive nonprofit, Our Revolution New Jersey, to discuss her ongoing court case stemming from federal charges brought by the Trump Administration. McIver was joined by local members of the NAACP, Progressive Democrats of New Jersey, and South Jersey Progressive Democrats.

McIver revealed that no new court date has been scheduled at this time. However, she and her legal team are now exploring their options, debating whether to take this case to trial or have it moved to another district.

Her legal battle began on May 9, when she took part in an oversight visit to Delaney Hall with Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka (D) and Reps. Rob Menendez Jr. (D-8) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12).

This immigrant detention center has been the source of significant controversy, as the City of Newark said it was reopened without proper inspection or approval. Since then, there have been reports of inmates living in crowded rooms and being underfed, culminating in a riot in which four detainees escaped from the facility.

During her visit to Delaney Hall, McIver was caught in a scrum as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents tried to arrest Baraka, who was accused of trespassing on the premises. Though the charges against Baraka were dropped just days later, McIver has since been indicted on three counts for allegedly assaulting federal officers and interfering with Baraka’s arrest. If found guilty, McIver could face up to 17 years in prison. 

At her court hearing on June 26, McIver pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges made against her, which she described as “baseless.” McIver labeled her indictment as “political intimidation”  by the Trump Administration for trying to hold them accountable for their actions by exercising Congressional oversight at Delaney Hall.

During her conversation with Our Revolution New Jersey, McIver argued that her indictment is a “test run” by President Donald Trump as he continues to “weaponize the Department of Justice” to intimidate and weaken opposition.

McIver said she was standing up for immigrant residents in her district, which makes up a reported 30% of its population, as federal agents continue to conduct mass detainments and deportations. This has caused fear to “spread like wildfire,” as she described, leaving immigrant families too afraid to live their lives under the threat of imprisonment.

The congresswoman cited the recent ICE raid on Nov. 19 at the Ocean Seafood Depot in Newark, in which federal agents took 13 people into custody. This seafood market was the same location that was raided by ICE in January, just days after Trump’s inauguration.

McIver continues to garner praise throughout her case. After her conversation with Our Revolution, Courtney Williams-Goeloe, one of the attendees and a member of the Milltown Public Schools Board of Education, expressed her respect for McIver for standing up for immigrant rights.

“I firmly believe that New Jersey is a state of immigrants,” said Williams-Goeloe. “We are a community of immigrants. We’re a country of immigrants, and anybody who is trying to erase that or ignore that is going against the spirit of the state and this country. I think that standing up for the rights of those who cannot stand up for themselves is the obligation of people in power.”

McIver’s case has drawn sharp responses from both sides of the political spectrum. In September 2025, the House of Representatives voted against the GOP’s attempt to censure McIver for her indictment and remove her from the Homeland Security Committee. Since the House is led by a Republican majority, this one victory displays the support McIver has received from both parties.

U.S. District Judge Jamel K. Semper, who was nominated by former U.S. President Joe Biden (D), refused to dismiss two of three charges against McIver earlier in November. Semper has yet to decide on the third charge, having requested that more evidence be presented to him.

On Nov. 17, Semper reportedly ordered the prosecutors to turn over any additional surveillance and bodycam footage from McIver’s May 9 visit to Delaney Hall by Nov. 26. The Department of Homeland Security is said to have turned over seven videos of the incident, but has yet to share 30 others.

McIver called the federal trial “very difficult,” especially as she has to raise funds for her legal defense team. Though the future of her legal case is unclear, she refused to let the Trump Administration bring her down, expressing dedication to serving the residents of her district.

“It’s not about the Black girl from the city of Newark,” she said.