Video part of McIver defense posted
Federal court puts 81 minutes of Delaney Hall footage Online
By: Ricardo Kaulessar
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... "Back up, back up, back up, back up, or I'll shoot!"
.....
Those were the words of a federal officer caught on bodycam video inside the gates of the Newark immigration detention center, Delaney Hall, On May 9, [2025] before Newark Mayor Ras Barka was arrested on the orders of U.S. Deputy Attorney Venereal Todd Blanche.
..... Officers holding PepperBall guns retreat behind the gates with Baraka, as New Jersey Democratic Representatives LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez are being led in.
..... Menendez is livid and yelling, "Your escalated the situation .. he can't talk to her like that." McIver is standing a few feet away from Menendez, where she is heard yelling about an unidentified officer, "He just assaulted me. I'm filing a complaint."
..... The 81-minute video one of several posted on the U.S. District Court of New Jersey's website on September 29 [2025] as part of the exhibits field with the court by McIver's legal team in her defense.
..... McIver was indicted in June [2025] on three counts of "assaulting, resisting, and impeding" federal law enforcement officers in connection with her appearance at Delaney Hall on the same day Baraka was arrested. McIver pleaded not guilty to the charges on June 25. [2025] She is scheduled to go on trial on November 10. [2025]
..... Baraka was later charged with trespass by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, but that charge was dropped on May 19. [2025] he filed a lawsuit against Alina Habba, the acting U.S. attorney and special attorney for New Jersey, and Homeland Security Special Agent Ricky Patel, over his arrest.
..... McIver ad her fellow New Jersey Democratic Representatives Coleman and Menendez visited the Newark detention facility on May 9 [2025] as part of their congressional oversight duties to inspect the treatment of detainees, accompanied by the Newark mayor.
..... The rest of the video shows McIver putting herself between Baraka and Patel, seen holding handcuffs as he approaches the Newark mayor. She repeatedly says "Don't touch us," as McIver pushes Patel away until he grabs Baraka's wrist to put the cuffs on him.
..... Earlier in the video, Patel said to masked federal agents: "Guy, listen to me. We're going to walk out the gates. I'm going to place the mayor in handcuffs, OK? We are arresting the mayor right now, per the deputy attorney general of the United States."
..... NorthJersey.com did not hear back immediately form the three congress members or Baraka for comment. Habba and various officials at the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement could not be reached for comment.
McIver's defense
..... McIver sought dismissal of the government's case against her in August, [2025] claiming immunity from prosecution as a member of Congress and saying she is the target of selective prosecution by the government.
..... also, in her dismissal, she wanted toe government to refrain from making comments that would affect her getting a fair trial. she requested additional discovery, noting the government did not provide additional video footage from the exterior or interior of Delaney Hall. That is, until recently, when the government provided the video footage requested by McIver.
..... The government rebutted her dismissal in September [2025] in a 90-oage document with the following points:
* McIver had "offered no meaningful evidence to show actual vindictiveness on the part of the prosecution, nor has her purported evidence."
* She does not cite any objectionable statements or press releases about her from the U.S. attorney's office.
* Her motion for additional discovery should be denied because "the evidence she seeks will be produced, does not or seeks material to which she is not entitled."
* McIver was not charged for doing her duty of conducting congressional oversight, but was charged with assault, impeding and interfering.
..... Ricardo Kaulessar coves race, immigrations, and culture for NorthJersey.com . For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.