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MIAMI – A grand jury has indicted U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-New Jersey) on federal charges that she allegedly assaulted immigration officials outside a detention center, according to the Associated Press.

The alleged incident occurred on May 9, 2025, when Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was being arrested for attempting to join a congressional oversight visit at the New Jersey ICE facility, which houses thousands of undocumented immigrants.

The indictment includes three counts of assaulting, resisting, impeding and interfering with federal officials.

Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba said two of the counts carry a maximum sentence of up to eight years in prison, and a third has a maximum one-year sentence.

McIver’s lawyer, former U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman, said in a statement that they are prepared to challenge the allegations “head-on” in court.

McIver said the charges are in retaliation by the President Trump administration for protesting the arrests of immigrants by ICE in New Jersey.

“The facts of this case will prove I was simply doing my job and will expose these proceedings for what they are: a brazen attempt at political intimidation,” she said in a statement.

Habba warned that other officials will face charges if they interfere or attack ICE for doing its job.

“It is my Constitutional obligation as the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Office for New Jersey to ensure that our federal partners are protected when executing their duties,” Habba said on social media. “While people are free to express their views for or against particular policies, they must do so in a manner that doesn’t endanger law enforcement and their communities those officers serve.”

House Democrats suggested McIver’s indictment is the latest example of Trump abusing his political power when lawmakers protest and criticize his massive illegal immigration deportation operation that some say also targets people with legal status.