Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez (D‑NY) is at the center of a new political firestorm following a stark warning from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, stated during an interview on Fox News that Ocasio‑Cortez could face arr*est if she engages in disruptive acts similar to those recently carried out by other Democratic officials protesting immigration enforcement.
“If she trespasses or assaults law enforcement officers like we’ve seen others do, arr*est is absolutely on the table,” McLaughlin said during her appearance on The Bottom Line. She emphasized that while some Democratic lawmakers claim they are performing congressional oversight, the agency views their actions as politically motivated interference with federal operations.
The controversy erupted after Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested outside an ICE detention center over the weekend. According to U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey, Baraka had been warned multiple times to leave the premises but refused, leading to charges of trespassing. DHS also reported that Baraka joined protesters attempting to force their way into the facility, escalating tensions with ICE agents. Other Democratic officials, including Representatives LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Rob Menendez Jr., were also present during the incident.
Responding to the incident, Ocasio‑Cortez posted a video to Instagram, in which she threatened to “pro*blematize” ICE and DHS if any harm came to her fellow lawmakers. “If you lay a finger on Representative Coleman or any of the other members present, there’s going to be a serious issue,” she warned.