Department of Homeland Security Alleges Physical Assault by Congressional Democrats at Newark ICE Facility
On Friday, Democratic members of Congress and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka forcefully entered the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Facility at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, in what federal authorities describe as an unauthorized confrontation. According to Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), during the incursion several lawmakers engaged in physical altercations with ICE personnel, including an incident involving the bodyslamming of a female officer.
Incident Overview
At approximately midday on May 9, 2025, a group of Democratic Representatives—LaMonica McIver, Bob Menendez, and Bonnie Watson Coleman—accompanied by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, approached the secure perimeter of Delaney Hall. Video recordings obtained from ICE body-worn cameras show the lawmakers and Baraka pressing past facility signage and staff attempting to maintain order.
Once inside the secure zone, the group engaged in a heated exchange with on-duty ICE officers. As tensions escalated, McIver and other participants physically shoved against agents, and at one point McIver is seen forcefully pushing a female ICE agent to the ground. According to DHS, this constituted an assault on a federal officer.
DHS Response
In a televised interview on CNN, Tricia McLaughlin—DHS’s Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs—characterized the lawmakers’ behavior as both unauthorized and unlawful. McLaughlin asserted that the Democratic members of Congress had “breached federal property without permission and then assaulted our enforcement officers.” She emphasized that the department would pursue all available legal avenues, stating, “We have body-worn camera footage documenting the assault. Those responsible will be held accountable under federal law.”
When pressed by CNN anchors about the likelihood of arresting sitting members of Congress, McLaughlin replied, “That is definitely on the table. Any individual, regardless of office, who commits assault on a federal officer is subject to arrest.” She added that multiple arrests are expected since Mayor Baraka’s detention on charges of federal trespass “last night,” and that law enforcement continues to review video evidence to identify additional participants.
