DHS spokesperson threatens arrests of Home Democrats who had been at N.J. ICE facility

A spokesperson for the Division of Homeland Safety on Saturday advised the Trump administration may pursue arrests of the Home Democrats concerned in an incident at a New Jersey Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility on Friday and accused them of assaulting ICE officers.

“I believe that we should always let viewers know there’ll doubtless be extra coming,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin instructed CNN on Saturday morning.

“We even have physique digicam footage of a few of these members of Congress assaulting our ICE enforcement officers, together with body-slamming a feminine ICE officer,” McLaughlin stated.

Her feedback had been in response to a query from CNN’s Victor Blackwell, who requested whether or not others had been arrested Friday along with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was charged with trespassing.

Requested whether or not that meant a member of Congress could possibly be arrested in reference to Friday’s occasions, McLaughlin instructed Blackwell, “That is an ongoing investigation, and that’s positively on the desk.”

She added that ICE was in possession of video proof documenting the incident.

In a while Saturday, McLaughlin posted a video on X exhibiting chaos exterior of the detention facility, writing, “We won’t tolerate assault in opposition to our ICE legislation enforcement brokers. By members of Congress or anybody else.”

Her remarks got here someday after three members of Congress — Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Rob Menendez and LaMonica McIver, all New Jersey Democrats — visited the Delaney Corridor detention facility to conduct oversight, in keeping with statements from two of the lawmakers.

“As Members of Congress, we’ve got a authorized proper to conduct oversight at any DHS facility with out prior discover, as we’ve got already performed twice this yr. All through each step of this go to, ICE tried to intimidate everybody concerned and impede our skill to conduct oversight,” Menendez stated in a press release Friday. “That is like nothing I’ve ever seen earlier than, and I’m shocked and disturbed that one thing like this occurred in our neighborhood.”

And McIver stated in a press release that the lawmakers had been met with “contempt, disrespect, and aggression from ICE.”

“From roughing up members of congress to arresting the mayor of our state’s largest metropolis, there isn’t any model of right this moment that doesn’t present the blatant abuses of energy of the Trump administration,” she added.

Not one of the three members of Congress talked about seeing any sort of violence in opposition to ICE officers throughout their go to to the power.

And in a put up on X on Saturday, Watson Coleman denied McLaughlin’s allegations, writing, “The notion that I or any of my colleagues ‘physique slammed’ armed federal officers is absurd. DHS is mendacity as a result of they know their brokers had been out of line.”

“They should resort to lies as a result of their conduct is indefensible on the deserves. They will threaten us all they like, however their lies are nonetheless lies. We won’t be intimidated,” the congresswoman added.

A spokesperson for DHS referred NBC Information to the U.S. legal professional for the District of New Jersey for remark. A spokesperson for the U.S. legal professional, Alina Habba, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Spokespeople for Menendez and McIver additionally didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark about McLaughlin’s remarks.

Baraka appeared on CNN straight after McLaughlin and known as her allegations of assault “ridiculous.”

“I’m ready for them to point out a video,” he added.

Baraka identified that Watson Coleman, 80, is an older lady, “who in all probability couldn’t carry any of them.”

“None of these individuals body-slammed any officer,” Baraka added.

The Newark mayor additionally denied the costs that he was arrested on on Friday, telling Blackwell, “I used to be not trespassing in any respect. I imply, we’re in courtroom, so we’ll argue that within the courtroom.”