WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has vehemently denounced the actions of several Democratic lawmakers who engaged in a contentious protest at a federal immigration facility in New Jersey, accusing them of attempting to “crash” the operation and threatening severe consequences. The incident has ignited a fierce political firestorm, with Noem labeling the Democrats’ conduct as criminal and an affront to law enforcement.
The heated confrontation unfolded in May 2025 at the Delaney Hall immigrant detention center in Newark, New Jersey, where Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, LaMonica McIver, and Rob Menendez, all Democrats from New Jersey, participated in a protest against the facility’s operations.1 Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was also arrested during the incident.2
Secretary Noem, a staunch advocate for robust immigration enforcement, did not mince words in her condemnation. “I believe that it was breaking into a federal facility and assaulting law enforcement officers,” Noem stated forcefully, directly contradicting the Democrats’ claims of legitimate oversight.3 She asserted that the lawmakers’ actions went “beyond bizarre political stunt” and actively endangered federal agents and detainees.
“This behavior demands a swift and firm response, and I assure you, action will be taken,” Noem vowed, signaling that the DHS and the Justice Department are considering severe repercussions.4 Indeed, Rep. LaMonica McIver has since been indicted on three counts, including charges of assaulting, resisting, impeding, and interfering with federal officials, with some counts carrying potential prison sentences of up to eight years.5
Republicans in Congress quickly rallied behind Noem, echoing her demands for accountability. House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green (R-TN) accused one of the Democrats of assaulting an officer, stating, “This behavior demands a swift and firm response.” Calls for criminal charges and stripping the involved Democrats of their committee assignments have also emanated from GOP lawmakers.
Democrats, however, have fiercely pushed back against Noem’s narrative. The involved representatives maintain they were exercising their constitutional right to oversight and were lawfully escorted into the facility. They accuse masked ICE agents of physically assaulting them and characterize the charges against them as politically motivated. “The idea we ‘stormed’ a heavily guarded federal detention center is absurd – just more lies from the most dishonest administration in history,” Rep. Watson Coleman posted on social media.
This latest clash underscores the deepening chasm between the current administration’s aggressive stance on immigration enforcement and Democratic opposition. As the legal proceedings against Rep. McIver unfold and the rhetoric from both sides intensifies, the incident at Delaney Hall remains a flashpoint in the ongoing battle over America’s border and immigration policies.
