Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., could face arrest if she were to attempt to trespass or assault agents at a New Jersey immigration detention facility like her Democratic Party colleagues, the Department of Homeland Security warned Monday.
The statement follows an controversial incident that led to the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Friday.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs, addressed the possibility during an appearance on Fox Business after Ocasio-Cortez posted a video to Instagram defending Democratic lawmakers that tried to storm into the Delaney Hall Detention Center.
“If she trespasses and if she assaults law enforcement officers, as we saw earlier, I think that’s certainly on the table,” McLaughlin said when asked if Ocasio-Cortez would be arrested for pulling “the same kind of stunt.”
The warning comes after Democratic New Jersey Representatives LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Rob Menendez Jr., along with Mayor Baraka, were involved in a heated confrontation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Baraka was arrested and charged with trespassing after allegedly refusing to leave despite several warnings.
DHS also eleased body camera footage showing part of the confrontation, which officials claim shows McIver “assaulting an ICE agent.” In the video posted to X, McIver, wearing a red blazer, appears to push past agents near a security gate.
Not Even Close To Peaceful: "I touch whoever I want MF! You will pay!” Democrat Rep. LaMonica McIver was caught on body cam assaulting law enforcement as they forced their way into New Jersey's Delaney ICE detention center! She’s no victim, she’s a criminal. Charge her! pic.twitter.com/LuDpHKjMvc
— John Cremeans (@JohnCremeansX) May 11, 2025
“It sure looks like assault. People should watch that and decide for themselves. There is no place for that, especially members of Congress. It is so beneath them to be treating law enforcement like this,” McLaughlin said on “Fox & Friends.”
According to DHS, the lawmakers and protesters attempted to “storm” through the facility’s gates when they opened for a detention bus. McLaughlin said the politicians wanted to get publicity at the expense of safety.
“We know that the [Newark mayor], we know these members of Congress want their 15 minutes of fame so desperately, but they’re willing to do it at the peril of the safety of our great law enforcement and even the detainees as well,” she said.
“There are public guidelines that we have offered, including that they need to notify us 24 hours in advance if they would like a tour of the facilit,” McLaughlin continued. “So, again, this is all political gamesmanship, and we’re not playing with the safety of our law enforcement officers.”
Liberal lawmakers have dismissed DHS’s characterization of events. Watson Coleman wrote on X that they visited the center “to exercise our oversight authority as Members of Congress” and denied storming the facility.
“Contrary to a press statement put out by DHS we did not ‘storm’ the detention center,” she wrote.
At around 1pm today, my colleagues @RepLaMonica @RepMenendez and I arrived at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark to exercise our oversight authority as Members of Congress.
Contrary to a press statement put out by DHS we did not “storm” the detention center. The… pic.twitter.com/QzIavA1j5Z
— Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (@RepBonnie) May 9, 2025
During a recent press conference, McIver escalated her accusations and claimed that she was “assaulted by multiple ICE officers while regional directors of ICE watched it happen.”
Baraka was released Friday night after being in holding for five hours. His attorneys maintained that the mayor was exercising his First Amendment rights and “acted throughout with calm, restraint and dignity in a law-abiding manner.”
On the other hand, McLaughlin pointed out that the facility the Democratic lawmakers attempted to storm has “murderers, terrorists, child rapists and MS-13 gang members” locked up.
DHS officials have not yet confirmed any pending charges against the lawmakers, but McLaughlin warned that the investigation is ongoing.
“If you assault a law enforcement officer, we will also make sure you answer to justice. So, I think that arrests are still on the table for this,” she said.