US congresswoman indicted by grand jury over immigration centre scuffle

US Democratic Congresswoman LaMonica McIver has been formally indicted by a federal grand jury following a confrontation outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Newark, New Jersey. The incident occurred on May 9 during a visit to the facility, which has been a focal point of political debate amid the Trump administration's tough stance on immigration. Ms. McIver faces serious charges including forcibly impeding and interfering with federal law enforcement officers, with a potential prison sentence of up to 17 years. She has strongly denied the allegations, calling them a politically motivated attempt to intimidate her, and has declared her intention to plead not guilty.

The indictment, which replaces earlier assault charges, was announced by a federal grand jury in New Jersey. Alina Habba, the interim Attorney for the District of New Jersey and former personal lawyer to President Trump, emphasized that while citizens are free to express their views on policies, they must not do so in ways that endanger law enforcement officers or the communities they protect.

During the visit to the Delaney Hall ICE facility, Ms. McIver was accompanied by fellow Congress members Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez, as well as Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. The center, a 1,000-bed private detention facility, was recently reopened under the Trump administration and has been the subject of intense scrutiny. Video footage from the visit showed a chaotic scene involving police, ICE agents, journalists, protesters, and the politicians themselves. The Congress members were eventually allowed access and given a tour of the facility. Federal law protects the right of Congress members to conduct oversight visits to detention centers. The indictment alleges that Ms. McIver prevented a Department of Homeland Security agent from arresting Mayor Baraka on two occasions, though a trespassing case against the mayor was later dropped. It also claims that Ms. McIver pushed past an ICE officer, striking him with her forearms.

Ms. McIver has described the legal action as an effort by the Trump administration to avoid accountability for the turmoil caused by ICE. She insists that she was fulfilling her duties as a Congresswoman. Her attorney, Paul Fishman, stated that they are prepared to challenge the charges in court and expect a full exoneration. Congresswoman Watson Coleman has condemned the original complaint as an attack on civil liberties, asserting that the allegations are inaccurate and inconsistent with the facts. Meanwhile, Alina Habba has indicated that the grand jury's decision marks the next phase in a legal process that her office intends to pursue to a just conclusion.