Politics
JUST IN: Democrats Who Stormed ICE Facility Face Expulsion From Committees
Three House Democrats could soon find themselves stripped of powerful committee assignments after storming a federal immigration facility in New Jersey earlier this month.
Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) introduced a formal House resolution on Monday calling for the immediate removal of Reps. Robert Menendez Jr. (D-NJ), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), and LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) from their posts on several key House committees.
According to the resolution, Watson Coleman would be removed from the Appropriations Committee, Menendez from Energy and Commerce, and McIver from both Homeland Security and Small Business. The move follows an explosive confrontation at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, a privately run ICE center housing individuals detained for immigration violations—some of whom, DHS says, have ties to violent gangs such as MS-13.
The three lawmakers joined Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and a crowd of protesters to confront immigration officials at the facility. According to DHS, the officials and demonstrators stormed the gates during a detainee transport operation, creating what ICE described as a dangerous and chaotic situation. DHS later confirmed that at least one officer was assaulted during the encounter.
Video footage released by the agency appears to show McIver, in a red blazer, pushing through federal officers. Mayor Baraka was arrested for trespassing during the incident. Republicans have rallied behind the resolution, pointing to what they see as a pattern of Democratic disregard for federal law and ICE operations.
WATCH:
In a statement to Fox News, Carter said on Tuesday, “The radical left has lost their minds – they would rather raid an ICE facility to defend criminal illegal immigrants than represent their own constituents.” He described the lawmakers’ actions as a direct attack on law enforcement and an embarrassment to Congress.
“This behavior constitutes an assault on our brave ICE agents and undermines the rule of law. The three members involved in this stunt do not deserve to sit on committees alongside serious lawmakers,” Carter added.
The legislation introduced by Carter would strip Rep. Watson Coleman of her seat on the House Appropriations Committee, remove Rep. Menendez Jr. from the Energy & Commerce Committee, and take Rep. McIver off both the Homeland Security and Small Business Committees.
Following Friday’s chaos at the ICE detention facility in Newark, the Department of Homeland Security issued a sharp rebuke of the three Democratic lawmakers involved. “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,” DHS said in a statement.
The department made clear that proper protocol was ignored, adding that the lawmakers could have followed standard procedure instead of creating a security breach. “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,” the statement continued.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) came to their defense, blasting the Trump administration’s response and doubling down on support for the group’s actions.
“The concerns of elected officials about this unsanctioned facility will not be silenced by the Trump administration’s attempt to intimidate the public. We will never bend the knee,” Jeffries said.
