Democratic representatives stormed an ICE facility housing MS-13 gang members and may now face removal from their congressional committees for allegedly assaulting federal agents during what the Department of Homeland Security condemned as a “bizarre political stunt.”
Key Takeaways
- Three Democratic members of Congress from New Jersey forced their way into an ICE detention facility in Newark, with bodycam footage reportedly showing one member physically confronting an agent
- Republican Rep. Buddy Carter has introduced a resolution to strip the representatives of their committee assignments for “undermining the rule of law”
- The Department of Homeland Security condemned the action as a reckless political stunt that endangered law enforcement and detainees, including MS-13 gang members housed at the facility
- Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested for trespassing during the confrontation while participating in the protest
- Democrats claim they were exercising legal congressional oversight powers, while DHS states they could have simply requested a proper facility tour
Congressional Break-In Sparks Fierce Backlash
Three New Jersey Democratic Representatives – Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez Jr., and LaMonica McIver – are facing serious consequences after forcibly entering an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Newark. The confrontation occurred at Delaney Hall Detention Center, which houses criminal illegal migrants including alleged MS-13 gang members. Footage from the incident shows Rep. McIver aggressively pushing past ICE agents while attempting to gain unauthorized entry to the facility, actions that the Department of Homeland Security immediately condemned as dangerous and unnecessary.
Georgia Republican Congressman Buddy Carter responded by introducing a resolution to strip the three Democrats of their committee assignments. The resolution specifically targets Rep. Watson Coleman, who serves on the Appropriations and Homeland Security committees; Rep. Menendez, who serves on the Foreign Affairs and Transportation committees; and Rep. McIver, who serves on the Agriculture Committee. Carter’s move represents a significant escalation in response to what many Republicans view as increasingly radical Democrat tactics around immigration enforcement.
“The radical left has lost their minds – they would rather raid an ICE facility to defend criminal illegal immigrants than represent their own constituents,” said Carter.
DHS Condemns “Bizarre Political Stunt”
The Department of Homeland Security didn’t mince words in its response to the incident, stating that the representatives endangered everyone involved and acted completely outside proper channels. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that the representatives had legal options to tour the facility but instead chose confrontation. The harsh criticism from DHS underscores the severity with which federal authorities viewed the unauthorized entry of even congressional representatives into a secure facility housing dangerous detainees.
“These members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and the detainees at risk,” said DHS.
“Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility,” stated DHS.
Legal Consequences and Political Fallout
While the Democratic representatives involved have defended their actions as legitimate congressional oversight, the incident has already resulted in legal consequences for Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was arrested for trespassing during the protest. The Department of Homeland Security has also suggested that arresting the representatives remains a possibility, citing body camera footage of the confrontation. Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded by warning that arresting members of Congress would cross a red line, further heightening tensions.
The representatives claim they faced aggression from ICE while attempting to conduct oversight, but DHS flatly denied their assertions that Delaney Hall lacked proper permits to operate. According to DHS officials, the facility houses detainees with serious criminal backgrounds, including members of the notorious MS-13 gang and the Dominicans Don’t Play gang. This fact directly contradicts the narrative pushed by protesters that the facility is simply housing undocumented immigrants with no criminal history.
The conflict highlights the growing divide between President Trump’s administration, which has prioritized enforcement of immigration laws, and progressive Democrats who increasingly resort to confrontational tactics to oppose those policies. As the resolution to strip the representatives of their committee assignments moves forward, the incident stands as a stark example of how immigration remains one of the most divisive issues in American politics.
