Drop abusive charges against Rep. McIver for lawful oversight

This is an outrageous abuse of power by the Trump administration to bring politically motivated charges against a sitting member of Congress for simply doing her constitutionally mandated oversight duty. Charging Rep. McIver with assaulting law enforcement at the ICE facility in Newark is a blatant attempt to intimidate Congress and interfere with its ability to serve as a check on an out-of-control executive branch. The congresswoman and her colleagues were lawfully inspecting the treatment of detainees at the facility when ICE agents unnecessarily escalated the situation into chaos. Rather than facilitate this routine oversight visit, the agents are accused of aggressively mistreating the lawmakers themselves. Bringing charges against Rep. McIver under these circumstances is spectacularly inappropriate and lacks any basis in law or fact. This prosecution must be immediately dropped. Allowing it to proceed would set a dangerous precedent undermining Congress's oversight authority and the separation of powers. The administration cannot be permitted to retaliate against legislators for carrying out their sworn duties to the American people. This overreach by federal prosecutors represents a grave threat to our democratic system of checks and balances. Strong action is urgently needed to defend the institution of Congress and the rule of law.