Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a U.S. Congress member representing New Jersey’s 12th district since 2015, has recently addressed several incidents involving the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents through her social media platform.
On May 9, 2025, Rep. Coleman stated “Since DHS has been lying about this, allow me to correct the record. This scuffle, during which an ICE agent physically shoved me, occurred AFTER we had entered the Delaney Hall premises. We entered the facility, came BACK OUT to speak to the Mayor, and then ICE agents began”. The congresswoman’s comments followed an incident at Delaney Hall where she claims an ICE agent physically confronted her.
Continuing on May 10, 2025, Rep. Coleman shared her perspective on another related event: “Here is what I witnessed leading up to Newark Mayor @rasjbaraka arrest this afternoon. I am glad the Mayor has been released. He should never have been arrested in the first place.” She expressed relief over Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s release after his arrest earlier that day.
Later that day on May 10, Rep. Coleman refuted allegations against herself and colleagues with another post: “The notion that I or any of my colleagues ‘body slammed’ armed federal officers is absurd. DHS is lying because they know their agents were out of line. They have to resort to lies because their conduct is indefensible on the merits.” She accused DHS of spreading falsehoods regarding interactions between lawmakers and federal officers.
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1945 and currently resides in Ewing Township. A graduate of Thomas Edison State University with a BA earned in 1985, she served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2006 to 2010 before succeeding Rush Holt Jr. in Congress.
