WASHINGTON — Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Chair Greg Casar (TX-35) responded to Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threatening the arrest of CPC Members Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.-12) and LaMonica McIver (N.J.-10)—as well as colleague Rep. Rob Menendez (N.J.-08)—for carrying out oversight of a newly reopened Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New Jersey.
“Donald Trump’s regime is arresting mayors, intimidating independent judges, and threatening to lock up Members of Congress for doing their jobs within the scope of the law.
“Americans must ask themselves: if President Trump feels emboldened to illegally arrest elected officials for not agreeing with him, what laws will he break next? Who will be left to stand in his way? Throughout our nation’s history, Americans have fought off being ruled by unaccountable despots who think of themselves as kings, and we will not allow it in our lifetimes.
“Progressive Caucus members in New Jersey were duly exercising their Article I responsibilities under The Constitution, and by federal law, Members of Congress have a right to visit federal facilities unannounced. We demand that the identities of the masked ICE agents who accosted Congress Members be made public, and we will pursue every avenue to seek accountability from top to bottom for this illegal and shameful attempt to silence our representatives.”
