Appeals court allows Trump DOJ prosecution of Rep. McIver to proceed, rejecting Speech or Debate Clause defense

A federal appeals court allowed the Trump Justice Department's criminal prosecution of Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) to proceed, rejecting her claim that the Speech or Debate Clause shielded her from charges over a May 2025 oversight visit to an ICE detention facility in Newark. The DOJ had charged McIver with assaulting ICE officers during the visit, an unprecedented move against a sitting member of Congress for official oversight activity. The ruling, which the White House touted as one of '14 recent wins,' marks a significant escalation in the administration's weaponization of the justice system against political opponents and sets a dangerous precedent for legislative oversight of immigration enforcement.