Rep. Mace files resolution to expel Democrat McIver over charges of assaulting ICE agents during detention center protest.

Republican Pushes Expulsion Following Federal Charges

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., introduced a resolution on Wednesday to expel Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., from the House of Representatives. The move comes after McIver was formally charged by the Department of Justice with assaulting law enforcement officers during a protest at a Newark-area immigrant detention facility earlier this month.

“On May 9th, McIver didn’t just break the law, she attacked the very people who defend it,” Mace said in a press release. “Attacking Homeland Security and ICE agents isn’t just disgraceful, it’s assault.” She added that McIver’s status as a member of Congress should not place her above the law, and that she must be prosecuted fully.

The DOJ announced Monday that McIver had been charged with “assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement” at Delaney Hall, a federal detention center. Law enforcement officials claim McIver used her forearms to strike an ICE officer and attempted to interfere with the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was also at the protest but later had his charges dropped.

According to the incident report, McIver allegedly slammed her forearm into a uniformed agent’s body and tried to forcibly restrain him. She also reportedly pushed another officer during the confrontation. The incident occurred while McIver and two congressional colleagues were conducting what they described as a routine oversight visit to the facility.

McIver Denies Allegations, Blames ICE for Escalation

McIver appeared virtually in court on Wednesday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of New Jersey. She was granted bail and released on her own recognizance, with travel restrictions placed on her movements. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June 11.

In a televised interview Tuesday, McIver dismissed the charges as politically motivated. “I think the charges are absurd,” she said during a CNN appearance. “It’s ridiculous. I was there to do my job along with my colleagues. This is our obligation to have oversight over a facility.”

She went on to accuse ICE of provoking the confrontation. “Homeland came and caused this chaos,” McIver claimed. “It was very unnecessary. We were there to do our jobs. If I’m going to be charged with a crime for doing my job, it just speaks to where we’re headed in this country.”

Mace’s resolution argues that criminal conduct by a sitting member of Congress cannot go without consequence, especially at a time when public trust in government is already low. The resolution also references precedent for removing members facing serious charges.

As of now, McIver remains in office, and her legal case will proceed through the courts. The House must now consider whether to take disciplinary action as Mace’s resolution advances through the legislative process.