In the aftermath of a contentious incident at a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in New Jersey, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee has vowed to conduct more surprise inspections.
U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, expressed his commitment to these unannounced visits during an appearance on MSNBC, stating, "I promise you theres gonna be more un-noticed visits by my colleagues where they show up and they better be let in."
This statement follows the legal troubles of Representative LaMonica McIver, a Democrat from New Jersey, who is currently facing federal charges. McIver is accused of assaulting, impeding, and interfering with federal law enforcement officers after entering an ICE facility without authorization.
According to WND, Alina Habba, the acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, emphasized the seriousness of the charges, stating, "Representative LaMonica McIver assaulted, impeded, and interfered with law enforcement in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111 (a)(1)." Habba further noted the importance of upholding the law, asserting, "That conduct cannot be overlooked by the chief federal law enforcement official in the State of New Jersey, and it is my Constitutional obligation to ensure that our federal law enforcement is protected when executing their duties."
Swalwell defended the necessity of such oversight, citing a lack of transparency and honesty from ICE officials. He remarked, "Typically, we would be able to give them notice when we visit a facility and the law says you dont have to give them notice. But theyre not worthy of much of a heads-up because of the amount of lies that theyve told the American people and the amount of lies that theyve been called out on by judges across the country."
He referenced a recent Homeland Security Committee meeting where Secretary Kristi Noem allegedly failed to acknowledge the indefinite detention of an individual in El Salvador based on manipulated evidence. Swalwell argued, "And so, if theyre willing to lie and doctor evidence to put someone in jail for an indefinite amount of time, we cant trust them. So we have to do our oversight duties, and she (McIver) was in the right to go and do that."
The case in question involves Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported criminal illegal alien, whom some media outlets have described as a "Maryland father." President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation, criticizing McIver's actions. During a visit to Capitol Hill, he stated, "That woman was out of control. The days of that crap are over in the country. Were gonna have law and order."
Swalwell, often a controversial figure, continues to draw attention for his outspoken stance on immigration and law enforcement oversight. Meanwhile, Joe Kovacs, Executive News Editor and author of a new best-selling book, remains a prominent voice in American journalism, with a career spanning over three decades in television, radio, and online media.
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