NDLON AND OTHER NEW JERSEY ORGANIZATIONS CONDEMN THE CHARGES AGAINST REP. LaMONICA McIVER

New York, May 15 — The following are a series of reaction statements from NJ immigrant rights leaders about the unprecedented charges against a US member of Congress:

“The Trump regime is lying about what happened on May 9 between federal lawmakers and masked immigration agents outside the Delaney Hall ICE prison in Newark. We condemn the criminal charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver. The U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s accusations against Ms. McIver – saying she ‘assaulted’ law enforcement – are false,” said Jorge Torres, National Organizing Director for NDLON.

“Rep. McIver represents Newark in the U.S. House of Representatives. It is her right and duty as a member of Congress to enter and see for herself what conditions are like for immigrants in that federally financed private prison. She was there to represent the citizens and residents of Newark, and she didn’t assault anybody. Just as Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark wasn’t ‘trespassing’ when he was also falsely charged that day.”

“On May 12, when faith leaders and immigrant advocates – conducted a peaceful protest at the gates of Delaney Hall, law enforcement officers escalated the situation and made the confrontation worse. They did not keep the peace.”

“We in the immigrant community support Rep. McIver and Mayor Baraka denounce their mistreatment by the Trump regime. Both ICE and local law enforcement acted aggressively  and irresponsibly on May 9 and 12. ICE is out of control – an American Gestapo. This is happening in our backyard. We will not stop until ICE is out of our courts, our neighborhoods, our streets, our state. We will not stop until ICE stops terrorizing our communities.”

“We are not afraid to tell the truth. We urge everyone to watch the video from May 9. See the photos from May 12. See the truth for yourselves.”

NDLON members and partner organizations across New Jersey added their statements of condemnation about the charges against Rep. McIver. 

“This public display of violence by those in power is a crude attempt to silence and punish those community members who are speaking out about how ICE has been terrorizing our communities and workplaces. ¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido” said Louis Kimmel, Executive Director of New Labor.

“The charges against Rep. McIver are a direct attack on those who defend immigrants in this country,” says Ana Paola Pazmiño, Executive Director of Resistencia en Acción NJ,  “Like many organizations who fight for migrant justice, Rep. McIver is standing up to a fascist government, and we are in full support of her duties to enter detention centers like Delaney Hall.”

“Rep. McIver is being targeted for exposing the truth about a private detention system built on cruelty, and we call on Alina Habba to drop all charges immediately,” said Cristian Moreno-Rodriguez, executive director of El Pueblo Unido of Atlantic City. “We stand with the congresswoman and continue organizing our immigrant families to say enough—we will defend our communities and expose the real threat: a detention system that profits from dehumanizing our people.”

“The charges against Congresswoman McIver, along with the treatment of Mayor Baraka, our state’s congressional representatives, and activists, should shake every American to their core. Attempting to intimidate members of Congress for simply doing their jobs is a direct attack on our democracy and it will not work. Congressional oversight of detention facilities has long been a fundamental right. Any federal agency that operates above the law and seeks to evade congressional accountability and scrutiny poses a serious threat to the well-being of every American and our nation. Drop all charges against the Congresswoman,” said Itzel Hernandez, Immigrant Rights Organizer for American Friends Service Committee. 

“This isn’t justice, it’s retaliation. They want to punish McIver for standing with the community and challenging ICE’s racist agenda.” Edgar Aquino-Huerta Community Organizer with CATA

“The recent retaliation of the federal government against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Representative LaMonica McIver is an escalation of a familiar pattern of intimidation and fear used to expand detention and disappear opposition,” said Rosa Santana, co-executive director of Envision Freedom Fund. “To see these tactics directed at leaders who are standing up for the rights and safety of their constituents is alarming but not surprising. We will not be bullied into compliance with this presidential administration’s cruel and unjust immigration enforcement. The lives and dignity of our immigrant family members and neighbors are too important.”

“We know that we’ll be met with violence and repression when speaking up against this administration’s attacks on immigrant workers. Pressing charges against Congresswoman LaMonica Mclver is a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the real issue: Delaney Hall should not be operating. The re-opening of this facility is in violation of both municipal procedures and state law. We demand the immediate closure of this unlawful detention center and the release of everyone kidnapped by ICE. We’ll not be silenced”. Mentioned Carlos Castañeda of Movimiento Cosecha.

“We will keep fighting, as one people, against lies, fear and despair until ICE is out of our communities and out of NJ. Because only the people save the people. Solo el pueblo salva al pueblo.” added Torres of NDLON.