DHS spokesperson threatens arrests of Home Democrats who have been at N.J. ICE facility – NBC New York

A spokesperson for the Division of Homeland Safety on Saturday instructed the Trump administration might pursue arrests of the New Jersey Home Democrats concerned in an incident at an 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 advised CNN on Saturday morning.

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

Her feedback have been in response to a query from CNN’s Victor Blackwell, who requested whether or not others have 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 advised 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 displaying chaos outdoors 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 sooner or later 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, based on statements from two of the lawmakers.

“As Members of Congress, we now have a authorized proper to conduct oversight at any DHS facility with out prior discover, as we now have already completed twice this yr. All through each step of this go to, ICE tried to intimidate everybody concerned and impede our potential to conduct oversight,” Menendez stated in an announcement 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 group.”

And McIver stated in an announcement that the lawmakers have 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 is no such thing as a model of right now 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 form of violence in opposition to ICE officers throughout their go to to the ability.

And in a publish 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 have been out of line.”

“They must 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. Lawyer for the District of New York for remark. A spokesperson for the U.S. Lawyer, 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 immediately after McLaughlin and known as her allegations of assault “ridiculous.”

“I am ready for them to indicate a video,” he added.

Baraka identified that Watson Coleman, 80, is an older lady, “who most likely could not carry any of them.”

“None of these folks physique 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.”

This text initially appeared on NBCNews.com. Learn extra from NBC Information: