U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver sits during the Homeland Security Committee hearing with Todd Lyons, who is the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In conjunction with her role on the Homeland Security Committee, U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, NJ-10, questioned Todd Lyons, who is the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), about the agency’s conduct.
McIver brought up the administration’s efforts to criminalize oversight and the importance of accountability, especially with regard to the death of Jean Wilson Brutus, a Haitian immigrant, detained at Delaney Hall in McIver’s district, who died in ICE custody. McIver also spoke about the killings of Keith Porter Jr., a Black American citizen, killed by an off-duty ICE agent on New Year’s Eve, and Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
McIver asked Lyons whether his religious values and morals aligned with the conduct of the agency he leads, asking, “do you think you’re going to hell, Mr. Lyons?”
Lyons declined to answer.
The chairman of the committee, Andrew Garbarino, a Long Island Republican, cut McIver off and instructed her not to attack the witness personally, saying it was inappropriate and not in keeping with the traditions of the committee.
McIver also asked Lyons how many U.S. government agencies kill Americans and still get funding.
Lyons said he would not entertain that question.
McIver summed up saying ICE should not be funded but should be abolished.
McIver, who represents East Orange, Orange, Irvington and other municipalities in Essex and Union counties, has been charged with assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement officers during a visit with Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka to Delaney Hall, a recently opened privately run detention center for immigrants in Newark.
The Associated Press reported that a video released by Homeland Security shows McIver on the facility side of a chain-link fence just before the arrest of Baraka on the street side of the fence. She and uniformed officials go through the gate and she joins others shouting “surround the mayor.”
The AP reported that the video shows McIver in a tightly packed group of people when her left elbow and then her right elbow push into an officer wearing a face covering and a uniform with the word “Police” on it. The AP said it was a bodycam video and it wasn’t clear if the contact was intentional or incidental.
During the committee hearing, McIver pointed out that she had been arrested while being prevented from making a congressional oversight visit.
McIver has a court date in August in connection with the charges to which she has pleaded not guilty. The charges were brought when Alina Habba was the acting U.S. attorney for the district but Habba has since resigned after a federal appeals court ruled she was serving unlawfully, citing violations of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.
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