U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) has been indicted on charges related to a 2024 protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility that turned confrontational, according to federal court filings unsealed Monday, per reports. The indictment has reignited debates over protest rights, law enforcement response, and allegations of political targeting.

The indictment, filed in New Jersey federal court, accuses McIver of obstruction of justice, disorderly conduct, and inciting a riot during a June 2024 demonstration outside an ICE detention center in Newark. Prosecutors allege the protest—which called for the facility’s closure and an end to deportations—escalated into violence when some participants clashed with police, damaged property, and attempted to block detainee transfers. 

Video footage from the event shows McIver, then a Newark City Council member, using a megaphone to lead chants. While she did not appear to engage in physical altercations, prosecutors claim her rhetoric "encouraged unlawful behavior.” 

McIver, who was elected to Congress in November 2024, denounced the indictment as a "politically motivated attack" and vowed to fight the charges.

"This is retaliation for standing with immigrants and against ICE’s abuses," McIver said in a statement. "They want to silence dissent, but I won’t back down."

Civil rights groups, including the ACLU of New Jersey, have raised concerns about selective prosecution, noting that other politicians who participated in similar protests were not charged.

The protest occurred amid nationwide backlash against ICE under the Biden administration, with critics accusing the agency of inhumane detention conditions. Over 200 arrests were made at similar demonstrations in 2024, but McIver is the highest-profile figure indicted.