Dear colleague,
U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver (New Jersey’s 10th District) has stood up for the detainees held by DHS in Delaney Hall in Newark, and needs our support in fighting legal harassment from the Trump Administration. Her brave actions have resulted in millions of dollars of legal fees, as the Department of Justice seeks to push the cost of defending our rights out of reach. Defending our members and our students from ICE’s unconstitutional actions is a priority for our unions, and one way our members can do that right now is by donating to Rep. McIver. Donate here.
On May 9, 2025, Rep. McIver, along with Rep. Bob Menendez Jr (NJ-8), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, visited the Delaney Hall ICE facility. This facility holds detainees until their removal from the country, and credible reports indicate that the conditions inside are horrific and dangerous. Congresspeople have a legal right to enter DHS facilities to exercise oversight. In spite of this, and after identifying themselves, Rep. McIver and her companions were physically blocked by ICE agents. Eventually, Mayor Baraka was arrested. During this, ICE claims that Rep. McIver “slammed her forearm into the body of one law enforcement officer and also reached out and tried to restrain that officer by forcibly grabbing him.” You can see for yourself videos and other accounts of the events of that day.
Rep. McIver was charged with three counts for impeding the arrest of Mayor Baraka and assaulting a federal officer. If convicted, she faces 17 years in prison. The legal fees to defend herself are well over a million dollars. Due to ethics rules, the Congresswoman can not accept pro bono legal support. However, donations to her reelection fund can be used.
In the months since Rep. McIver’s arrest, the actions of ICE and DHS have become more brazen. Their invasion of Minneapolis resulted in the deaths of two American citizens at their hands, and at least 46 people have died in detention. School campuses have been used by ICE as part of their sweeps. Protecting our students and our own members from these summary detentions is a priority for our union, and one way we can do this is by providing support for those elected officials who have shown leadership and integrity and used their position and power to try to rein in ICE. LaMonica McIver was one of the first elected officials to be arrested for opposing ICE. Charges against nearly all other elected officials have been dropped, but McIver continues to face political persecution, significant jail time, and severe financial penalties.
Because of her efforts to exercise oversight on ICE, and her support for our union’s priorities on affordable healthcare, civil rights, and equitable access to education, Rutgers AAUP-AFT Executive Council and the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union voted to endorse Rep. McIver for reelection. We encourage our members to donate to her reelection fund (insofar as their financial position allows them to do so; such donations are not tax deductible) as an important and meaningful way to demonstrate opposition to the actions of ICE and DHS in targeting our members, our students, and our neighbors. Donate here.
In solidarity,
HP and Matt
Heather Pierce, Legislative Committee Co-Chair, President, Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union
Matthew Buckley, Legislative Committee Co-Chair, Rutgers AAUP-AFT