Congresswoman LaMonica McIver Reveals Pregnancy While Facing Potential Prison Sentence for ICE Incident

Representative LaMonica McIver (D) revealed she’s expecting her second child with husband Khalif Thomas while facing the possibility of prison time tied to her ongoing legal battle regarding a confrontation with law enforcement outside of a New Jersey ICE detention center.

In an interview with People published on Friday, May 15, McIver, 39, shared that she’s currently 17 weeks pregnant with her second child after previously struggling with infertility.

“I have been trying to have another baby for quite some time now,” the congresswoman told the outlet, adding that she felt “really, extremely excited.”

“But once you get that positive pregnancy test, that’s just one step of it. You’re kind of on pins and needles for a long time,” she continued. “Even now at 17 weeks, I’m still on pins and needles every day, hoping that things are successful.”

However, the happy news comes as McIver continues to fight federal charges connected to a May 2025 incident outside of Delaney Hall, an immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey.

“It’s always been worrying to me,” McIver explained. “I am a mom of a 9-year-old girl. I have a husband. I have a family that is extremely worried in this moment. It’s not just the pregnancy. Of course, obviously, this adds an extra layer.”

Federal prosecutors accused the Democratic lawmaker of “forcibly impeding and interfering” with immigration officers during the confrontation. McIver has denied wrongdoing, and her legal team claims the charges were politically motivated.

Fellow New Jersey Democratic representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez Jr. also attended the oversight visit alongside McIver, but they were neither arrested nor charged.

While Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka was also arrested during the incident, the trespassing charges against him were later dropped.

If convicted, McIver could face up to 17 years in prison. She pleaded not guilty following her indictment and is expected to stand trial later this year.