Well, folks, the House just dodged an accountability showdown that could’ve shaken up the Homeland Security Committee.

In a tight 215-207 vote on Wednesday afternoon, the House of Representatives chose to table a resolution to censure Democratic New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver over allegations of clashing with law enforcement at an ICE detention center back in May.

This saga kicked off when McIver allegedly got into a confrontation at a New Jersey ICE facility while, as she claims, conducting congressional oversight on immigration enforcement policies.

Allegations of assault at ICE facility

By June, Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba had indicted McIver on three federal charges, accusing her of “forcibly impeding” federal officers during an arrest attempt.

Now, you’d think a lawmaker facing such serious accusations—especially one sitting on the Homeland Security Committee—would face some heat, right?

Republican Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins thought so, too, sponsoring a resolution to censure McIver and boot her from the committee overseeing immigration authorities like ICE.

Resolution to censure falls flat

But here’s where it gets spicy: the resolution didn’t just fail—it was tabled with help from a few GOP lawmakers crossing party lines.

Republican Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Mike Turner of Ohio, David Valadao of California, Mike Flood of Nebraska, and David Joyce of Ohio joined every voting Democrat to kill the measure.

Turner’s office quickly backpedaled, claiming his vote to table was a mistake and that he meant to oppose it, with a statement saying, “Congressman Turner supports removing Rep. LaMonica McIver.” Nice try, but a vote’s a vote, and that slip-up stings.

GOP splits and Democratic unity

Meanwhile, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) took to social media, fuming over the outcome with, “I was prepared to debate this.” It’s hard not to nod along—how does someone indicted for impeding law enforcement keep a seat overseeing national security?

McIver, for her part, fired back on Tuesday, stating, “Clay Higgins moved to force a vote to censure me… because I was doing my job.” Doing her job? Many conservatives might argue that a job shouldn’t include tangling with federal officers.

Adding to the GOP’s internal drama, Reps. Andrew Garbarino of New York—chair of the Homeland Security Committee—and Nathanial Moran of Texas voted “present,” effectively sitting this one out.

Broader context of McIver’s record

Let’s not forget McIver’s voting record, which raises eyebrows among those concerned about border security—she opposed the Laken Riley Act to detain unauthorized migrants committing certain crimes and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for over $150 billion in immigration enforcement funding.

On the flip side, House Democrats didn’t just defend McIver; they went on the offensive with a retaliatory resolution to censure Republican Florida Rep. Cory Mills over unrelated ethical controversies involving accusations from a pageant winner, which Mills denies.

So here we are, with a resolution dead in the water, a Democrat still on a critical security committee despite federal charges, and a GOP fractured over principle. It’s a messy day in D.C., and one can’t help but wonder if accountability took a back seat to political gamesmanship. Turns out, standing up for law and order isn’t always a unifying cry—even among conservatives.