CNN
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Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver said Tuesday that the federal assault charges filed against her a day earlier related to a chaotic melee outside an Immigration Customs and Enforcement detention facility are “absurd.”
“I think the charges are absurd. You know, it’s ridiculous. I was there to do my job, along with my other colleagues. We have done this before. This is our obligation to do. It’s in our job description to have oversight over facility, and the entire situation was escalated by ICE,” the New Jersey lawmaker said on CNN’s “News Central” in her first interview since being charged with assaulting federal law enforcement.
Lawmakers faced off with Homeland Security Department officers earlier this month as they tried to visit a Newark, New Jersey, ICE facility, despite Congress’ oversight authority of federal facilities.
The incident started as officers attempted to arrest the Democratic mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, after he tried to join the lawmakers inside the facility.
Prosecutors said Monday that they will drop the federal trespassing charge against Baraka, but acting US Attorney Alina Habba accused McIver of assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement.
The Democratic congresswoman said she’s still trying to get more information on next steps, but so far, it’s “business as usual.”
“So, we are still trying to get more information on what the next steps are. My attorneys are in contact with the federal courts in New Jersey, and North New Jersey, so we’re just waiting on direction for now, it’s business as usual. I’m going to do my job,” she said.
CNN’s Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.
