On Saturday, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson suggested that members of Congress involved in a controversial visit to a New Jersey ICE detention facility might face arrest for allegedly assaulting ICE officers. Tricia McLaughlin stated that body camera footage exists showing members, including body-slamming a female officer. This claim followed an incident where Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested for trespassing during the congressional oversight visit.
During their visit, three New Jersey Democrats—Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez, and LaMonica McIver—reported facing intimidation from ICE personnel. Menendez expressed shock at the apparent aggression from ICE, asserting that they had the legal right to conduct oversight without interference. McIver echoed these sentiments, citing a climate of disrespect from ICE agents.
In response to McLaughlin’s claims, Watson Coleman dismissed the allegations of violence as “absurd,” accusing DHS of lying to deflect responsibility for their agents’ behavior. She asserted that DHS’s attempts to intimidate the lawmakers would not succeed.
Mayor Baraka also refuted the assertion of assault, highlighting the physical improbability of the claims against Watson Coleman, who is 80 years old. He called for the DHS to produce the alleged video evidence. Both DHS and the U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey were approached for comments, but immediate responses were not provided. The escalating tensions between congressional members and ICE reflect ongoing controversies surrounding immigration enforcement and oversight.
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