In yet another stunning example of the Left’s growing contempt for law enforcement, far-left Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) is now fighting for her political life after being indicted for assaulting a federal immigration officer during an anti-ICE protest in Newark, New Jersey. The Democrat congresswoman faces up to 17 years in prison if convicted on all counts — and her latest move to dodge accountability has many calling foul.
The incident that landed McIver in hot water unfolded on May 9, when the Newark mayor and a group of far-left agitators, including McIver herself, stormed the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in what appeared to be a coordinated stunt. The mob reportedly tried to break into the facility, interfering with ongoing law enforcement operations.
Conservative commentator Benny Johnson later obtained and released exclusive ICE bodycam footage showing McIver verbally and physically attacking federal agents inside the detention center.
In the footage, McIver — easily identifiable in a red jacket — is seen shoving, striking, and cursing at ICE officers while refusing repeated commands to stand down. “I touch whoever I want, motherf*****!” she screamed, before threatening to “destroy” the officers’ careers, shouting, “You will pay!”
As Johnson pointed out, McIver’s behavior is a clear violation of federal law — specifically, 18 U.S. Code § 111, which makes it a felony to forcibly assault, resist, or impede federal officers. The law carries severe penalties, including up to eight years per offense for violent interference.
The Department of Justice took the matter seriously. In June, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced that McIver had been formally indicted on three counts of forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers. She pleaded not guilty but could face up to 17 years behind bars if convicted.
Now, in a desperate bid to escape accountability, McIver is trying to claim congressional immunity — arguing that her assault on federal agents falls under the “speech or debate” clause of the Constitution, which protects lawmakers from prosecution for actions related to their official duties.
Her problem? Storming an ICE detention facility isn’t part of anyone’s “official duties.”
Even Politico, hardly a conservative outlet, reported that the presiding judge appeared “skeptical” of McIver’s absurd argument. Still, her attorney, Paul Fishman, tried to turn the tables, calling the case “politically motivated.” In a bizarre defense, he told the court, “She was charged with something she never would have been charged with if she was a Republican.”
But the facts are clear: McIver broke the law — on camera — and is now scrambling to spin her violent behavior into some kind of “civil rights protest.”
Republicans and law enforcement supporters have blasted McIver’s actions as yet another example of Democrats’ war on police and border enforcement. While the Biden-era Left demands “defunding ICE,” their own members are now being caught physically attacking federal officers — and then trying to claim immunity when held accountable.
If convicted, McIver could face years behind bars — a poetic twist of fate for a lawmaker who built her career railing against law enforcement and the very immigration officers she chose to assault.
