Republican lawmakers are taking steps to remove three Democratic members from their House committee assignments after an incident at a federal detention facility in New Jersey. Representative Buddy Carter from Georgia stated on Tuesday that the resolution targets Representatives Robert Menendez, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Lamonica McIver.
The New Jersey Democrats participated in a protest when a bus carrying detainees entered the Delaney Hall Detention Center. The Department of Homeland Security accused them of compromising safety and engaging in what they described as political theatrics.
Supporters of the lawmakers, however, countered that the actions of ICE agents toward McIver and Watson Coleman were unjustified, asserting they were fulfilling their constitutional duties. Carter criticized the Democratic lawmakers, suggesting they prioritized protecting undocumented immigrants over their constituents. He argued that their actions disrespected law enforcement and questioned their suitability for serving on serious committees.
The resolution calls for Watson Coleman to be removed from the House Appropriations Committee, Menendez from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and McIver from both the House Committee on Small Businesses and the Committee on Homeland Security. Carter’s office is reaching out to other Republican members to garner support for this measure.
Fox News Digital attempted to contact the three Democrats for their perspectives but did not receive immediate responses. In the wake of the protest, the Department of Homeland Security criticized the lawmakers’ actions, stating that unauthorized entry into detention facilities is illegal unless proper requests for tours are made.
Democrats have pushed back against the characterization of the event as a “raid.” Watson Coleman dismissed the claims as absurd, while McIver expressed concerns about the treatment they faced during the incident.
Democratic leaders also came to the trio’s defense, emphasizing the importance of their oversight responsibilities concerning the detention facility and vowing not to be intimidated by the Republican response.
