A trio of Democratic lawmakers say they were justified in “storming” an ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey, last week, arguing that President Donald Trump’s administration is “weaponizing law enforcement.”
Reps. LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez, all Democrats from New Jersey, made the comments during a joint appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
“Chaos ensued when someone on the phone above the leaders of ICE who were with us at that facility instructed them to go out of the facility, go to the private property and lock the mayor of the largest city in the state of New Jersey up,” Coleman said.
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“That’s absurd. That’s un-American. That’s scary. That’s determination to intimidate people in this country,” she added, claiming the administration is “lying at all levels.
The three lawmakers stormed Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark last week in an incident that was caught on video. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was also present and was arrested and charged with trespassing. Authorities claim an ICE agent was assaulted in the confrontation, which was caught on camera.
McIver also responded to accusations from the Department of Homeland Security that she “body slammed” law enforcement officers during the incident.
“I honestly do not know how to body slam anyone. There’s no video that supports me body slamming anyone,” she told CNN’s Dana Bash.
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Mendez argued that it was the responsibility of the ICE officers and other law enforcement to ensure the situation didn’t get out of hand.
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., accused an ICE agent of shoving her during the incident on Friday. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Take Back the Court Action Fund)
“There were a lot of opportunities for DHS, for ICE to de-escalate the situation. They chose not to,” Menendez said. “It’s something that should really shock all Americans.”
Rep. LaMonica McIver can be seen wearing red in this screenshot from the body camera footage DHS provided to Fox News. (Department of Homeland Security)
While the lawmakers objected to ICE detentions, they also admitted that they saw evidence that the inmates were well-treated and living in good conditions inside the facility.
During a press conference after the incident, McIver claimed she was “assaulted by multiple ICE officers while regional directors of ICE watched it happen.”
DHS footage posted to X Saturday appears to show McIver barreling unprovoked through law enforcement near the gate.
“WATCH: US Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (wearing a red blazer), storms the gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center ASSAULTING an ICE agent,” DHS captioned the video.
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DHS officials have not yet confirmed any pending charges against those accused of storming the center.
Fox News’ Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
