‘I’m On My Own’: Rep. LaMonica McIver Says Democrats Left Her To Fight Federal Case

Rep. LaMonica McIver says she feels abandoned by many in her own party as she battles federal criminal charges tied to a 2025 congressional oversight visit to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center.

The comments came during a July 28, 2026 fireside conversation at Newark Symphony Hall, moderated by TheGrio’s Natasha S. Alford. McIver joined Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Tex.) to discuss leadership, public service and the distinct pressures Black women face in elected office. The conversation eventually focused on McIver’s ongoing legal fight and what both lawmakers described as limited institutional support from the Democratic Party.

Background on the Case

Federal prosecutors say McIver attacked law enforcement officers during a confrontation outside Delaney Hall — an ICE detention facility in Newark — during a May 9, 2025 congressional oversight visit. McIver denies the allegations and maintains she was performing official oversight duties. According to reporting by TheGrio and The Associated Press, she faces three counts; if convicted on all charges, she could face up to 17 years in prison.

McIver: ‘I’m in this journey alone’

Asked how she is coping, McIver described the experience as exhausting and overwhelming. "I’m tired. I mean, honestly, I’m tired in the moment," she told the audience. "It is horrible. It is a horrible situation. It is so time-consuming. It is so stressful. It is honestly unbelievable. It's still shocking that me, as a member of Congress who is there simply doing my job, is going through this."

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), TheGrio's Natasha S. Alford, Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) and Talia Young at the Newark Symphony Hall in Newark, New Jersey, on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Photo credit: Natasha S. Alford.

"I'm in this journey alone. I'm thankful for the people who have my back, who helped me raise the dollars thus far … But at the end of the day, why should someone from the Democratic Party, literally from the Democratic Party, be struggling to get just a million dollars … to fight this case? Why is that so hard?"

McIver said she has raised more than $1 million for her defense but questioned why broader party resources and solidarity have not followed. She also said she warned officials months earlier about conditions at Delaney Hall and has watched similar incidents involving other elected officials draw far more national attention.

Crockett: A Broader Pattern

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, visibly emotional, framed McIver’s situation as part of a wider pattern in which Black women take disproportionate political risks yet do not always receive commensurate institutional support. "The party has broken my heart," Crockett said. "The women that consistently put themselves on the line—they are Black women for this country … But when we talk about the consistency, Black women are the ones that are on the front lines at all times. At the same time, the very party that we literally lay our bodies down for, somehow we get kicked to the end of the line."

"If they are able to be successful with her, it will not stop. And, you know, it's hard to give so much to a party," Crockett added. "The first people that should have been like, 'We got you,' they weren't. Our job, sadly enough, is not only to actually legislate, but if you're a member of the House, we are constantly running. All we do is raise money. So you need to share … You need to be sharing and having her back."

Looking Ahead

Despite their frustration, both lawmakers urged attendees to remain politically engaged ahead of the November midterm elections. McIver acknowledged widespread fatigue among activists — particularly Black women who have shouldered much organizing and advocacy — but called for renewed energy: "You took your rest, and now it's time to get back into the game," she said.

Reporting referenced: TheGrio and The Associated Press. Photo credit: Natasha S. Alford.