Latest news with #LaMonicaMcIver
Fox News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
DHS issues new guidance for members of Congress who want to visit ICE detention facilities
Print Close By Alec Schemmel Published June 19, 2025 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released new guidance for members of Congress who wish to visit federal immigration detention facilities. The guidance comes as Democrat lawmakers have begun visiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities amid Trump's deportation efforts, with several being denied entry this week at immigration detention facilities in New York and Illinois. Under the new guidance, which is dated this month, members of Congress wishing to visit an ICE facility are asked to notify the agency at least 72 hours ahead of time, in addition to existing requirements that compel House or Senate staffers to provide 24-hour notice in advance of their visits as well. WHITE HOUSE BLASTS DEMS 'CROSSING THE LINE' BY STORMING ICE FACILITY Amid the Trump administration's efforts to tighten border security and deport illegal immigrants residing in the United States, members of Congress have been showing up at federal immigration facilities saying they are there to perform their statutorily authorized oversight duties. "We went to conduct lawful congressional oversight—to do our jobs and demand answers for our constituents," Rep. LaMonica McIver said after she, two other members of Congress and a local mayor showed up at a detention facility in New Jersey last month, resulting in the mayor getting arrested and McIver, D-N.J., ultimately getting charged with forcibly impeding and interfering with federal immigration officials. McIver's visit in May alongside Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka and two other members of Congress has been followed by other visits from Democratic officials to immigration facilities across the country. This week, at least two separate efforts to enter ICE facilities by a group of Democratic officials were denied. DEM MAYOR ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING AT ICE FACILITY FLOATED AS PICK FOR STATE'S NO 2 OFFICE The new DHS guidance notes that while members of Congress have the statutory right to make unannounced visits to ICE detention facilities for oversight purposes, it did clarify that ICE field offices "fall outside" of that statutory authority. The guidance also clarifies that ICE "retains the sole and unreviewable discretion to deny a request or otherwise cancel, reschedule or terminate a tour or visit" if "facility management or other ICE officials deem it appropriate to do so." "ICE will make every effort to comply with the law and accommodate Members seeking to visit/tour an ICE detention facility for the purpose of conducting oversight, but exigent circumstances (e.g., operational conditions, security posture, etc.) may impact the time of entry into the facility," the guidance states. "Regardless, Members must comply with entry requirements." ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS GATHER OUTSIDE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DETENTION CENTER IN NEW JERSEY The guidance says that anyone caught seeking to circumvent the entry requirements may be subject to arrest. Another notable part of the guidance includes a ban on recording devices from being brought into federal detention facilities. The guidance also sets out parameters for how visitors can and can not interact with persons detained at ICE facilities, as well as with the ICE officers themselves. The decision to approve, or deny, requests ultimately falls under the purview of the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Officer in Charge (OIC) of the facility that a visitor wishes to enter, the guidance states. For facilities that house immigrant detainees, but are not solely an ICE or DHS facility, the guidance states that "as contractors" these facilities "cannot speak on behalf of the government," and "only ICE personnel are authorized to conduct visits for facilities housing ICE detainees." The guidance added that members of Congress, or their staff, attempting to enter Bureau of Prisons-owned (BOP) facilities that hold immigration detainees must follow BOP protocols that typically require five to seven business days of advance notice to coordinate the visit. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "As ICE law enforcement have seen a surge in assaults, disruptions and obstructions to enforcement, including by politicians themselves, any requests to tour processing centers and field offices must be approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security. These requests must be part of legitimate congressional oversight activities," Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "As for visits to detention facilities, requests should be made with sufficient time to prevent interference with the President's Article II authority to oversee executive department functions—a week is sufficient to ensure no intrusion on the President's constitutional authority," McLaughlin continued. "To protect the President's Article II authority, any request to shorten that time must be approved by the Secretary." Print Close URL
New York Times
17 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
ICE Imposes New Rules on Congressional Visits
The Department of Homeland Security has imposed new limits on visits by members of Congress and their staff to immigration enforcement facilities, intensifying a conflict between federal immigration officials and Democratic lawmakers. In guidance released this month, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement asserts that it has broad power to 'deny a request or otherwise cancel, reschedule or terminate a tour or visit' by lawmakers or their staff under a number of circumstances, including 'operational concerns' or if 'facility management or other ICE officials deem it appropriate to do so.' Under existing law, members of Congress can make unannounced oversight visits to immigration facilities that 'detain or otherwise house aliens.' But the new policy specifies that ICE field offices are not subject to those requirements. Detained immigrants have been held in some of those offices for days waiting for officials to process their cases. The new protocol, updated since February, comes as Democratic lawmakers have repeatedly been denied access to ICE facilities this month as they try to conduct congressional oversight, and amid high-profile clashes between federal immigration officials and members of Congress. Democratic lawmakers in California, Illinois and New York have been turned away from ICE facilities recently, sometimes after trying in vain for hours to gain access to buildings that they say they are authorized to visit. Representative LaMonica McIver, Democrat of New Jersey, was charged with assault last month after an encounter with immigration officers outside a Newark detention center. And Senator Alex Padilla, Democrat of California, was shoved out of a room and handcuffed after trying to question Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, during a news conference last week. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Democrats accuse Trump administration of weaponizing law enforcement to silence political foes
Rep. Eric Swalwell is no stranger to fighting legal battles. Swalwell, in his seventh term as a Democrat representing the Bay Area of California, served as an impeachment manager in President Trump's first impeachment trial in 2020. Swalwell is also the plaintiff in a four-year civil lawsuit seeking damages from Mr. Trump for the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. But Swalwell, an attorney and former local prosecutor in Alameda County, is so concerned about legal peril during the second Trump term, he has taken out a liability insurance policy to protect himself. Swalwell confirmed he had done so in a text message to CBS News. In a social media post last month, Swalwell accused the Trump administration of targeting Democratic legislators like his colleague, New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver, who was charged with assaulting law enforcement officers at an immigration detention center. Rep. LaMonica McIver demands the release of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after his arrest while protesting outside an ICE detention center in Newrk, N.J. on May 9, 2025. Angelina Katsanis / AP Swalwell — who has not been charged with a crime — wrote on X, "A RED LINE has been crossed. Trump is prosecuting his political enemies in Congress. This is just the beginning. We must take whatever we've done before to show dissent and go one rung higher." Last week's handcuffing of Sen. Alex Padilla, a California Democrat who was forcibly removed from a news conference and briefly cuffed by federal agents after publicly questioning Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, has raised criticisms that the Trump administration has broken norms — and escalated tensions — by allowing federal law enforcement to arrest or detain elected officials who dissent. Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat from California, is removed from the room after interrupting a news conference with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles on June 12, 2025. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP The Padilla incident occurred weeks after the arrests of McIver and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, also a Democrat, after a May 9 confrontation with federal agents outside the Delaney Hall immigration facility in Newark. Prosecutors dropped the case against Baraka, but McIver faces felony charges and the prospect of a multi-year prison sentence if convicted. She has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors allege McIver struck agents with her arms during the incident. The Department of Homeland Security accused the elected officials of "breaking into" the detention center. McIver responded to her indictment in a statement that said, "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." In the latest incident, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a Democrat running for mayor, was detained by immigration agents Tuesday at a Manhattan courthouse. New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander is placed under arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and FBI agents outside federal immigration court on June 17, 2025, in New York. Olga Fedorova / AP In a sequence of events captured on video, Lander was seen holding onto a man, whom he identified as Edgardo, following the man's immigration hearing. Video then showed masked immigration agents trying to take the man into custody, and then taking Lander into custody as he asked to see a warrant. Federal law enforcement officials said Lander was arrested "for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer." He was released four hours later, with his wife and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul by his side. No charges were filed against him. The series of arrests began with the case of Hannah Dugan in April. Dugan, an elected Wisconsin circuit court judge, has pleaded not guilty to charges of obstructing federal agents, for allegedly rerouting a criminal defendant from her courtroom to avoid immigration agents. Dugan's July 21 trial date was delayed Wednesday, as a judge considers a motion from Dugan to dismiss the case. Raskin alleges "strong-arm tactics" to "silence and intimidate" The arrests, detentions and handcuffings are inflaming an already toxic political moment and supercharging complaints by Democrats that Mr. Trump is seeking to use law enforcement powers to subdue his opposition. "Trump and his enforcers want to handcuff and jail members of the legislative branch who perform oversight," said Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat who is the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. Raskin told CBS News, "These strong-arm tactics are meant to silence and intimidate people, but they only strengthen our conviction." Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) speaks with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol on March 31, 2025. Francis Chung / POLITICO via AP Images In a statement to CBS News, a White House spokeswoman said, "Here's the real story: why do so many Democrat officials feel emboldened to brazenly break the law and then complain when they are held accountable?" "It's alarming Democrats think they can obstruct federal law enforcement, assault ICE agents, or physically push law enforcement officers while charging a cabinet secretary, without consequence — it's even more alarming that the media is encouraging and defending this lawless behavior," the spokesperson said. After his case was dismissed, Baraka filed a civil suit against the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, who not only filed the criminal case, but posted about Baraka's arrest on social media. The lawsuit accuses Habba of defamation and seeks damages for what it calls "false arrest and malicious prosecution." The criminal cases are a burden to public officials, who must pay legal costs and expend time on court hearings. Defense attorneys for McIver noted she has juggled initial proceedings in her case in Newark with her duties in the U.S. Capitol, during a busy month in the House since the May 9 incident. In her filing to dismiss her obstruction case, Dugan argued the Justice Department was violating separation of powers and unlawfully exceeding its authority. "The government's prosecution here reaches directly into a state courthouse, disrupting active proceedings, and interferes with the official duties of an elected judge," she argued. The legal battles are separate from the political acrimony that has been fueled by the physical confrontations, including the handcuffing of Padilla last week — which the Department of Homeland Security claims happened after Padilla "lunged toward" Noem. In a tearful floor speech Tuesday, Padilla asked, "How many Americans in the year 2025 see a vindictive president on a tour of retribution?" As part of her statement to CBS News, the White House spokeswoman said, "Democrats are disingenuously characterizing their behavior with the help of the Fake News media. And we look forward to CBS's coverage of Democrat smears against law enforcement officials, including comparing them to Nazis, leading to a 413% increase in assaults against ICE officers." As for Swalwell, he isn't the only congressional Democrat to seek out liability insurance to protect his legal future. According to a report last week by the NOTUS digital news outlet, multiple Democrats have done the same. According to the report in NOTUS, one unnamed House Democrat said, "That's just, unfortunately, the nature of the job right now and it's terrible."
New York Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
For Trump, Investigations Are the Real Punishment
The Trump administration has declared war on a number of enemies. The tools vary, but so far the administration seems to be using the power of investigations more than criminal charges. It might seem as if an investigation is a less punishing experience. But for the targets of those inquiries, the costs — in money, reputation, and emotional suffering — may be nearly as great as if the president and his team brought actual prosecutions. Trump administration officials have brought criminal charges against Hannah Dugan, a judge in Wisconsin, in the obstruction of an immigration arrest, and against U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver of New Jersey, in an assault on federal immigration agents. But the number of investigations is far greater, perhaps around 100 cases across all federal agencies. (The actual number is unknown, because some investigations take place in secret.) Federal authorities — from the Justice Department to the Federal Trade Commission to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — can open investigations for any reason, or no reason, and compel interviews with witnesses and the production of records, including confidential financial documents and emails. Failure to comply with those demands can, in turn, generate further investigations and possible prosecutions. The bases for these investigations often seem dubious. Earlier this month, President Trump ordered the Justice Department to investigate the propriety of former President Joe Biden's use of an autopen to issue directives. For decades, presidents, including Mr. Trump himself, have used autopens, and in 2005 the Justice Department issued a formal opinion sanctioning the practice. The investigations include several other high-profile targets. In April, President Trump demanded that the Justice Department investigate ActBlue, the online clearinghouse that has raised many billions of dollars for Democratic candidates and progressive groups. Mr. Trump's rationale was weak: He asserted that ActBlue had processed illegal contributions from foreigners and others. The numbers were small, and the Republican counterpart to ActBlue, known as WinRed, also appears to have received a number of questionable contributions. But it will be ActBlue that has to hire lawyers and incur other costs that will detract from its mission of winning elections against Mr. Trump's party. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CNN
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Two detainees who escaped from Newark immigration detention center have been recaptured
Two of the four detainees who escaped from a Newark, New Jersey, immigration detention center have been recaptured, according to The Associated Press. The four men escaped from Delaney Hall, a privately-owned detention facility with 1,000 beds, on Thursday. They escaped by 'kicking through an interior wall,' Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a post on X. The FBI said Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez and Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada were taken back into custody, according to the AP. FBI Newark posted a wanted poster Sunday for the other two detainees, Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes and Andres Felipe Pineda-Mogollon. Delaney Hall has been the center of repeated protests since it opened in May. Both a sitting congresswoman – Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver – and Baraka were arrested during protests there. Charges against Baraka were dropped, while McIver was indicted on charges of forcibly impeding and interfering with federal law enforcement officers; the congresswoman says the charges are baseless. CNN has reached out to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security for more information. This is a developing story and will be updated.
