A scuffle at Newark’s Delaney Hall detention center has landed Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-Newark) in hot water with the Justice Department, which plans to slap her with charges. The incident, a chaotic clash with ICE agents, unfolded during a so-called oversight visit, proving once again that actions have consequences. Here’s how it all went down.
According to New Jersey Globe, on May 9, 2025, McIver, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) and Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City) visited the 1,000-bed Delaney Hall, recently repurposed for immigrant detainees. Federal authorities arrested Baraka for alleged trespassing, sparking a melee involving the lawmakers, ICE agents, and protesters. This wasn’t a polite policy debate—it was a physical confrontation at the facility’s gate.
The Justice Department, per three anonymous sources, is zeroing in on McIver, likely because video evidence clearly shows her trying to shield Baraka, both physically and verbally. Charges haven’t been filed as of 5:00 p.m. on the story’s date, and Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s timeline remains murky. McIver’s high-profile legal team, including former U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, signals she’s gearing up for a fight.
Baraka’s arrest was the match that lit the fuse. He claims he followed federal orders and left when told, but ICE agents cuffed him anyway, prompting McIver and company to leap into the fray. Both sides point fingers, each claiming the other threw the first shove in what video footage depicts as a disorganized scrum.
No injuries were reported, which is a minor miracle given the chaos. Republican accusations that McIver body-slammed or punched ICE officers don’t hold water—footage shows no such thing, just a lot of pushing and shouting. Still, McIver’s attempt to play protector for Baraka seems to be the Justice Department’s focus.
Watson Coleman, 80, and Menendez were also caught in the melee, though less video evidence captures their actions. Their involvement seems peripheral compared to McIver’s, who took center stage in the confrontation. The Justice Department’s laser focus on her suggests they see her as the main instigator.
Threats of charges from the Homeland Security Department surfaced over the weekend of May 10–11, 2025, catching the lawmakers off guard. The representatives have denied wrongdoing from the start, doubling down on their narrative. But in the real world, denying reality doesn’t make it go away.
“ICE agents put their hands on Members of Congress,” a Watson Coleman spokesperson claimed on May 10, 2025. That’s a bold accusation, but the footage tells a different story—a mutual shoving match, not a one-sided attack. Painting themselves as victims won’t erase the video evidence.
“Nobody was ‘body slammed,’” the same spokesperson insisted. True, the footage doesn’t show WWE-style takedowns, but it does show McIver physically engaging with agents. That’s not exactly the behavior voters expect from their elected officials.
The political fallout is heating up, with House Speaker Mike Johnson mulling options like censure or stripping committee assignments. On May 14, 2025, he signaled he’s not letting this slide, and why should he? Disrupting federal operations isn’t a free pass, even for Congress members.
McIver’s office stayed silent when asked for comment, a curious choice for someone facing serious charges. Maybe they’re too busy strategizing with Fishman and Lee Cortes, her legal heavyweights. Silence won’t help when the gavel falls.
The representatives’ claim of innocence is consistent but shaky. They argue ICE agents were the aggressors, yet the video shows a two-way tussle. Blaming federal agents while ignoring their role smells like deflection, not truth.
Delaney Hall, in Newark’s East Ward, became a flashpoint when it started housing detainees in May 2025. The oversight visit was supposed to be routine, but Baraka’s arrest turned it into a circus. McIver’s decision to physically intervene escalated things beyond reason. Republicans calling for blood may be overreaching with their “assault” rhetoric, but McIver’s actions weren’t exactly diplomatic. Protecting a colleague is one thing; mixing it up with federal agents is another. That’s not leadership—it’s recklessness.
The Justice Department’s next steps are unclear, but charges against McIver seem imminent. With Habba at the helm and video evidence in hand, the case looks like a slam dunk. Turns out, even in woke-free zones, accountability still matters.
