The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday to kill a resolution that would have formally censured Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey for allegedly assaulting federal officers during an incident at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in May.
The resolution, introduced by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), would have not only censured McIver but removed her from the House Committee on Homeland Security, which oversees ICE and other immigration-related agencies.
In a 215–207 vote to table the resolution, Republicans Don Bacon, Mike Turner, David Valadao, Mike Flood and David Joyce joined Democrats to block the measure.
Two other Republicans — Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) and Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) — voted “present.” Notably, Garbarino chairs the very committee from which McIver would have been removed.
Accidental Vote?
Soon after the vote, Rep. Mike Turner’s office issued a clarifying statement, saying the congressman intended to vote against tabling the resolution but had made a mistake.
“Congressman Turner supports removing Rep. LaMonica McIver from the Homeland Security Committee. He intended to vote no to table and submitted a correction immediately,” the statement read.
The Charges Against McIver
Rep. McIver was indicted in June by Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba on three federal charges, including “forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers” during a May incident at a New Jersey ICE detention facility. According to the indictment, McIver attempted to obstruct officers during the arrest of an unnamed individual.
While McIver has denied wrongdoing, she acknowledged the altercation, claiming her actions were in the context of official congressional oversight.
“Clay Higgins moved to force a vote to censure me and remove me from @HomelandDems because I was doing my job,” McIver wrote in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
McIver is in red in the video below.
Democrat Congresswoman, LaMonica McIver, can act like a THUG, storm an ICE facility in New Jersey, push and assault federal law enforcement, and our OWN REPUBLICAN House members will DEFEND HER
— BJORN LANE (@BJORN987654321) September 3, 2025
WORTHLESS!
They just tanked the measure to censure her!🤡
pic.twitter.com/cLCjSD2lSd
The congresswoman has drawn attention in recent months for voting against key border security bills, including the Laken Riley Act which mandates detention for criminal illegal aliens.
GOP Reaction: “NUTS!”
The decision to kill the resolution triggered sharp criticism from conservative lawmakers, particularly Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX).
“I was prepared to debate this on the floor alongside @RepClayHiggins after we defeated tabling… yet inexplicably it was not defeated,” Roy wrote on X. “She’s on the HOMELAND SECURITY committee & indicted for ‘forcibly impeding law enforcement officers.’ NUTS!”
Higgins’ resolution noted that McIver’s continued role on the Homeland Security Committee posed a “significant conflict of interest,” given the committee’s oversight role over ICE and DHS.
Democrats Strike Back
In a tit-for-tat response, House Democrats on Wednesday introduced a counter-resolution to censure Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL). This came as Mills faces a series of personal and political controversies, most notably allegations from Miss United States 2024 winner Lindsey Langston, who accused Mills — her ex-boyfriend — of threatening to release explicit videos of her. Mills has flatly denied the allegations.
What’s Next?
McIver remains on the Homeland Security Committee despite her indictment, and the case has reignited debate over partisanship, ethics, and oversight in Congress.
While Higgins’ resolution may be dead for now, Republicans say they are not backing down from efforts to hold McIver accountable, especially if her legal proceedings escalate. Meanwhile, House Democrats appear poised to respond aggressively to any future censure efforts aimed at their members.
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