In response to the arraignment of Congresswoman LaMonica McIver in federal court on charges related to a congressional oversight visit at Delaney Hall, an immigration detention center in Newark, the ACLU of New Jersey has voiced concerns about the nature of the prosecution.
ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha released a statement following the arraignment: “The arraignment of Congresswoman McIver is a shameful escalation of the Trump administration’s intimidation campaign against those who refuse to do its bidding. Rep. McIver has pleaded not guilty, and we are calling for these outrageous and unprecedented charges to be dropped. The Trump administration is attempting to silence opposition through fear, but New Jersey will not be intimidated by authoritarianism. We urge all members of Congress – as well as state and local elected officials – to exercise their oversight authority to provide strong checks and balances on President Trump’s abuses of power that continue to undermine the fundamental freedoms at the bedrock of our democracy.”
The case centers on actions taken by Rep. McIver during her official capacity while visiting Delaney Hall as part of her congressional duties. She has entered a plea of not guilty.
The ACLU-NJ has urged elected officials at all levels to maintain robust oversight over executive actions.
