The Justice Department has charged Democratic Representative
LaMonica McIver with assaulting federal officers during a chaotic altercation
outside an ICE detention center in New Jersey, Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba
announced Monday.
However, prosecutors will drop the federal trespassing
charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was also arrested during the
incident, Habba stated in a press release.
The confrontation outside the detention center, where
protesters, lawmakers, and Homeland Security agents clashed, escalated the
political conflict between the administration and Democratic lawmakers, as,
unlike his predecessor, President Donald Trump has been a firm enforcer of immigration
laws.
The arrest marks the latest stage in the criminal
prosecution of a sitting member of Congress, CNN reported. However, supporters
of the president say it's time to hold those who broke the law accountable.