Newark, New Jersey - Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver has been indicted on federal charges claiming she forcibly impeded and interfered with law enforcement outside an immigration detention facility in Newark.

Acting US Attorney for District of New Jersey Alina Habba, an ally of Donald Trump, accused McIver of intervening in an attempt to prevent an arrest outside the Delaney Hall detention center.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested last month after trying to join McIver and fellow Democratic Representatives Rob Menendez and Bonnie Watson Coleman on an oversight tour of the facility, which is operated by the private prison contractor GEO Group.

Body cam footage of the May 9 incident shows McIver along with protesters in a tight group around Baraka shortly before his arrest. At one point, each of her elbows push into an officer in police attire, though it is unclear whether the act was intentional.

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"During her continued attempts to thwart the arrest, McIver slammed her forearm into the body of one law enforcement officer and also reached out and tried to restrain that officer by forcibly grabbing him. McIver also used each of her forearms to forcibly strike a second officer," reads a press release from Habba's office announcing the indictment.

Habba said McIver faces up to 17 years in prison if convicted on all three counts.

McIver has rejected the allegations and accused law enforcement of escalating the situation unnecessarily.

"The facts of this case will prove I was simply doing my job and will expose these proceedings for what they are: a brazen attempt at political intimidation," the congresswoman responded in a statement.

"This indictment is no more justified than the original charges, and is an effort by Trump's administration to dodge accountability for the chaos ICE caused and scare me out of doing the work I was elected to do," she added, noting that she would plead not guilty.

The trespassing case against Baraka was dismissed. The mayor has since sued Habba for false arrest, malicious prosecution, and defamation.