Homeland Security Secretary Accuses Lawmakers of Assault, Calls for Censure After ICE Facility Incident
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has leveled serious accusations against several members of Congress, alleging they assaulted law enforcement officers during a recent confrontation outside an immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey. The incident, which occurred last week at ICE’s Delaney Hall detention facility, has sparked a heated debate, with Noem calling for the lawmakers to be censured and formally rebuked by the House of Representatives.
Noem, in an appearance on ‘Jesse Watters Prime,’ strongly criticized the lawmakers’ actions, dismissing their claims of conducting oversight as a mere excuse for what she described as criminal behavior. "This wasn’t oversight. This was committing felonies. This was going out and attacking people who stand up for the rule of law. And it was absolutely horrible," Noem stated. She further questioned the lawmakers’ motives, suggesting their actions were aimed at releasing dangerous individuals back into the country. "I can’t believe they act like this and then they defend it. And then they’re doing these acts of violence to get people out of detention centers that are rapists, that are murderers, that are people that are [from] foreign terrorist organizations that have been out there victimizing our communities in the United States of America," she asserted.
The lawmakers in question – U.S. Reps. Rob Menendez Jr., Bonnie Watson Coleman, and LaMonica McIver, all Democrats representing New Jersey – allegedly "stormed" the ICE facility’s gate, demanding to conduct an oversight visit. According to a statement released by DHS to Fox News, "These members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and the detainees at risk." The DHS statement emphasized that "Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities," adding that a requested tour would have been facilitated.
The account provided by DHS indicates that the lawmakers were present outside the facility with a group of protesters when the gates were opened to allow an ICE bus to enter. The lawmakers then allegedly rushed through the gates, bypassing security personnel. Noem questioned the lawmakers’ intentions, asking, "What are they trying to do? Release these people back into the country so that there could be more Laken Rileys? So there can be more Jocelyn Nungarays? I just don’t understand what their point is. They have completely lost their minds."
The incident has prompted calls for accountability, with Noem urging the House of Representatives to formally rebuke the lawmakers. "It’s astounding to me that someone would even vote for someone to put them in a place of leadership when they perpetuate something as hypocritical and as criminal as what these individuals did," she said. She further suggested that the lawmakers should be removed from their committee assignments, particularly McIver, who is supposed to oversee ICE. "They shouldn’t be allowed to be on the committees that they’re on — in fact, one of them (McIver) is supposed to be conducting oversight over ICE and instead she’s assaulting them. They don’t deserve to be in the House," Noem stated.
However, the lawmakers have defended their actions, with Coleman denying accusations of illegally entering the facility and claiming that ICE was "out of control." McIver stated that the lawmakers waited for over two hours to gain access to the facility for their oversight visit. She also alleged that all three lawmakers were assaulted by ICE personnel. "There are people who are supposed to be officers, who are supposed to protect us, and they have done none of that," McIver told reporters. She further suggested that the incident highlighted potential mistreatment of detainees, stating, "If they can treat three members of Congress like that, just imagine how they can treat people on the street each and every day, both undocumented and people who are citizens here in this country."
McIver reiterated her stance on X, stating that "none of this had to happen." "We arrived at Delaney Hall to do our jobs — period," she wrote. "Instead of facilitating congressional oversight, as they are obligated to do, ICE created chaos."
The clash between the lawmakers and DHS underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement and congressional oversight. Noem’s strong condemnation and call for censure highlight the severity of the allegations, while the lawmakers’ defense and accusations against ICE further complicate the narrative. The incident is likely to fuel further debate and scrutiny regarding immigration policies and the role of Congress in overseeing government agencies. The possibility of arrests remains on the table, according to DHS, suggesting that the legal ramifications of the incident could extend beyond political censure. The situation remains fluid, and further developments are expected as investigations continue and lawmakers weigh their next steps.
