NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver was charged in a three-count indictment today for forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.
According to the allegations in the indictment, McIver forcibly impeded and interfered with federal officers as they attempted to arrest an individual outside the Delaney Hall Federal Immigration Facility in Newark, New Jersey on May 9, 2025. McIver and two other members of Congress were present at the facility that day to conduct a congressional oversight inspection.
The inspection coincided with an immigration protest rally. After the Congressional Delegation entered the secured area of the facility, the Mayor of Newark arrived and was given access to the secured area. A federal officer then informed the Mayor that he was not authorized to be in the facility’s secured area, and issued the Mayor multiple warnings that he would be arrested if he did not leave. McIver and other members of the Congressional Delegation overheard this conversation and challenged the officer, protesting the Mayor’s removal. When officers moved in to arrest the Mayor, McIver and others surrounded the Mayor and prevented the officers from handcuffing him.
After the Mayor was escorted outside the secured area, law enforcement officers made a second attempt to arrest him. At this time, someone in the crowd yelled “circle the mayor.” McIver then faced the Mayor and placed her arms around him in an effort to prevent HSI from completing the arrest. During her continued attempts to thwart the arrest, McIver slammed her forearm into the body of one law enforcement officer and also reached out and tried to restrain that officer by forcibly grabbing him. McIver also used each of her forearms to forcibly strike a second officer.
If convicted, McIver faces a maximum penalty of 8 years in prison on the forcible impeding and interfering charge set forth in Count One of the indictment. She faces a maximum penalty of 8 years in prison on the forcible impeding and interfering charge set forth in Count Two. She also faces a maximum penalty of 1 year in prison for Count Three.
U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark McCarren of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.