A political clash is unfolding in New Jersey as Republican legal advocates rally to defend U.S. Attorney Alina Habba against calls for her removal by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The controversy centers on Habba’s decision to charge Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., with obstructing Homeland Security agents during a heated incident at an immigration facility in Newark on May 9. McIver, who has pleaded not guilty, is set to face trial on November 10.
Jeffries sparked outrage with a post on X, declaring, “The so-called U.S. Attorney in NJ maliciously indicted Congresswoman LaMonica McIver for doing her job. Habba is a woefully unqualified political hack who must go. She must be rejected by the Federal District Court Judges who are considering whether to retain her.”
The so-called U.S. Attorney in NJ maliciously indicted Congresswoman LaMonica McIver for doing her job.
Alina Habba is a woefully unqualified political hack who has to go.
She must be rejected by the Federal District Court judges who are considering whether to retain her.…
— Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeemjeffries) July 18, 2025
His remarks prompted a swift response from the Article III Project, which filed a House Ethics complaint against Jeffries, accusing him of “improperly inserting himself into a criminal proceeding” and labeling his actions as “clear corruption.”
Habba’s Precarious Position
Habba, a former Trump campaign legal spokesperson and White House counselor, was appointed by Attorney General Pam Bondi in March to serve as acting U.S. Attorney. Her confirmation remains stalled in the Senate, but a critical decision looms:
If a majority of New Jersey’s 17 federal district court judges—15 of whom were appointed by Democratic presidents—vote to retain her, Habba could remain in her role throughout Trump’s second term.
The Ethics complaint argues that Jeffries, as a House leader, overstepped his authority by pressuring federal judges to oust Habba, claiming he sought to “corruptly prejudice” the case to shield McIver, a fellow Democrat. It urges the House Ethics Committee to hold Jeffries “accountable” for abusing his position.
The Incident at Delaney Hall
The charges against McIver stem from a chaotic scene at the Delaney Hall immigration facility, where McIver and two other members of Congress were conducting an oversight visit during an immigration protest. According to a Department of Justice press release, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka entered a secured area and refused to leave despite warnings from federal agents.
When officers moved to arrest Baraka, McIver allegedly intervened, wrapping her arms around him, “slamming her forearm” into one officer, and forcibly striking another with both forearms. McIver faces three counts, with the first two carrying a maximum penalty of eight years each and the third up to one year in prison.
WATCH:
BREAKING: Rep. LaMonica McIver (red jacket) attacks law enforcement after storming New Jersey’s ICE facility pic.twitter.com/cAx0fk5Rgb
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 9, 2025
Adding fuel to the fire, the liberal watchdog group Campaign for Accountability has filed its own complaint against Habba, alleging she targeted McIver and Baraka in retaliation for their involvement in the protest and oversight visit, which clashed with President Donald Trump’s immigration stance. The group claims Habba’s charges were politically motivated, intensifying the debate over her tenure.
The Fairview Gazette will provide you with any updates to this ongoing story.
