The saga over Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) and the federal charges brought against her continues. Last month, the congresswoman allegedly assaulted law enforcement as she tried to storm an ICE detention center in Newark. She's since been charged by Interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba, indicted by a grand jury, and on Wednesday pleaded "not guilty." Sure enough, her fellow House Democrats continue to rally around her.
McIver released a statement when speaking outside the courthouse on Wednesday, which she also shared to her official website and over X.
“If you are still fighting for our constitution. If you are still speaking up against the injustices of this administration, don’t back down!” said @RepLaMonica.
— Make the Road New Jersey 🦋 (@MaketheRoadNJ) June 25, 2025
The massage is clear: We will not intimidated. We won’t stay silent. We won’t back down. https://t.co/PtkmHxf9TU pic.twitter.com/bSYY4a350i
As the shared statement read in part [emphasis in original]:
“First of all, good morning to each and every one of you. I want to thank you all for being here. As Paul just mentioned, I just left out of court and pleaded not guilty—because I'm not guilty, and we will fight this.
“At the end of the day, this is all about political intimidation. The Trump administration and his, you know, him and his colleagues or cronies—whatever you want to call them—have weaponized the federal government. They’ve weaponized the Department of Justice. And anybody who stands up to them, anyone who criticizes them, anyone who fights back against them, finds themselves in these hairs that we're in today—in this moment in time that I'm dealing with right now.
“That does not stop me from doing my job. At the end of the day, we went to Delaney Hall for an oversight visit because members of Congress had the right to hold these agencies accountable. And that is what we went to Delaney Hall for. We did not go there to protest, we did not go there for any of that. We went there to make sure that this facility was up to par and the detainees there were getting due process. And this is what occurred out of all of that.
“We've seen different cases of this administration bullying and intimidating elected leaders—from judges to anyone that gets in their way, this is what they do. And we will not not stand for it. I will not stand for it.
“They will not intimidate me, they will not stop me from doing my job, I will continue to do what the people of the 10th Congressional District elected me to do.
“I'm going to continue to stand up for New Jersey because we're better than this. And New Jersey says no to Trump's hateful policies, and we'll continue to do that.
“Each and every one of you who are here, who continue to express your First Amendment right, who continue to stand up to this administration—do not back down. Do not back down. That is what they want us to do, and we will not do that.
“So we look forward to the next time in court. We're gonna take this all the way through. They know they're wrong, and we're gonna prove the wrong because the facts are on our side.
“No matter what headline they tweet about, no matter what they put on their Twitter—we know that the facts are on my side, and we're gonna be in court defending them.
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McIver, as well as House Democrats rushing to her defense, have cried about how this is "political intimidation." It's particularly rich hearing Democrats talk about a "weaponized" government, given we saw exactly that under the Biden-Harris administration, including — but not only — against now President Donald Trump. The weaponized Department of Justice (DOJ) under Biden also targeted peaceful pro-lifers praying at abortion facilities and concerned parents at school board meetings.
The issue with McIver's visit, beyond the alleged assault, is that the House Democrats showing up needed to give the facility proper notice. McIver is also accused of impeding and interfering. Mayor Ras Baraka, who does not have the same oversight authority as members of Congress, also tried to show up. He was arrested though charges against him were later dropped.
Ironically, the same crowd who loves to talk about how "nobody is above the law," is now accusing the Trump administration of "bullying and intimidating elected leaders—from judges to anyone that gets in their way," for daring to uphold the the law. "This is what they do," McIver added. She was likely speaking about Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan, who was arrested by the FBI in late April for allegedly aiding an illegal immigrant in hiding from federal officers.
"We will not not stand for it. I will not stand for it," McIver continued. "They will not intimidate me, they will not stop me from doing my job, I will continue to do what the people of the 10th Congressional District elected me to do."
Later in her statement, McIver encouraged people speaking out against the Trump administration to "not back down." It's worth wondering what that is supposed to entail.
Wednesday, McIver returned to the House, where she was surrounded by her fellow Democrats in "solidarity."
Speaking to the crowd, she emphasized what she had said outside the courthouse, including that she was "not guilty." She also brought up many of the same points she made in her statement, including claims about "political intimidation" and "Trump weaponizing the DOJ for people who speak out against him, for members and leaders who do their jobs, who hold this administration accountable." Her fellow House Democrats can be heard murmuring in agreement.
McIver, to applause, made clear that she was "unapologetic" for her actions. She then lamented and claimed the Trump administration was "cruel" and that "cruelty" was "the basis of everything that they do."
House Democrats also applauded McIver as she claimed she was at the facility to do "oversight," further stressing that she would "continue to fight this" and that "that is what people elected us to do."
NEW: A defiant @RepLaMonica responds to her arraignment earlier today on bogus charges stemming from a confrontation with masked ICE agents at a detention facility in her New Jersey district. pic.twitter.com/LUwPtxkVCf
— Pablo Manríquez (@PabloReports) June 25, 2025
Whether in Newark this morning or D.C. right now, the message stays the same: I will not be intimidated.
— Rep. LaMonica McIver (@RepLaMonica) June 25, 2025
Thankful for @housedemocrats’ solidarity as we fight back against Trump’s cruelty and these charges. pic.twitter.com/wsOP78Ywmi
House Democrats are proud to stand with @RepLaMonica in complete solidarity.
— Katherine Clark (@WhipKClark) June 25, 2025
Let's be crystal clear: Rep. McIver was doing her job — and that entails direct oversight of the Executive Branch.
We're here to represent the people of this country, and we won’t be intimidated by… pic.twitter.com/ejBKel5DA6
Since McIver does not appear to have milked enough attention outside the courthouse on Wednesday or with her fellow House Democrats, she also spoke to Jen Psaki on MSNBC that night, who gushed over how "incredibly fearless" the congresswoman has been. McIver referred to her charges as "a crazy situation" and "a scary situation," since she said "I never thought I would be facing charges as a sitting congresswoman." So much for "nobody is above the law."
"At the same time, it's like, I'm not going to stop doing my job because I know why I was there and I know why I'm being attacked," McIver said, portraying herself as the victim as she spoke about this "mix of emotions" and how "stressful" the situation is.
A trial date has been set for November 10, which McIver said she is actually "excited" about, claiming "the facts are on my corner." She acknowledged she faces up to 17 years in jail.
Look, I never thought I'd be facing charges as a sitting congresswoman, but l'm not going to stop doing my job.
— Rep. LaMonica McIver (@RepLaMonica) June 26, 2025
Great to talk with @jrpsaki about what's next and how we fight this moving forward. pic.twitter.com/jMWxTXMOTH
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