Democratic Congress member demands investigation after staffer handcuffed by DHS

USA Today

4 days ago

Democratic Congress member demands investigation after staffer handcuffed by DHS The incident, which occurred on May 28, began after the staffer saw federal agents detaining migrants outside a courtroom.
Show Caption
Hide Caption
First 'self deportation' flight leaves with group of migrants
The first Department of Homeland Security 'self deportation' flight left with a group of 64 migrants.
'She was obviously traumatized. Now the fact is that this was totally unacceptable, the tactics were totally unacceptable, and they needed a warrant,' Nadler told CNN.
Nadler claimed that one of the officers pushed his aide and she pushed back, and was then shackled.
WASHINGTON - Rep. Jerrold Nadler is demanding a congressional investigation after an aide at his Manhattan office was handcuffed and detained by Department of Homeland Security officers.
The incident, which occurred on May 28, began after the staffer saw federal agents detaining migrants outside a courtroom located in the same building as the New York Democrat's office, according to The New York Times.
Robert Gottheim, Nadler's chief of staff, told The New York Times in an interview that staff members had invited immigration rights advocates who witnessed the detentions to the office.
Nadler alleged in a CNN interview on June 2 that the officers had "barged" into his office because the officers were "upset" that his staff members watched them detain immigrants.
"And they were upset that my staff invited some of the observers up to my office. They then came up to the office and demanded entrance. One of my staff members said, you can't come in here, you need a warrant. They said, 'No, we don't need a warrant,' which is incorrect," Nadler said.
Nadler further claimed that one of the officers pushed his aide and she pushed back, and was then shackled. Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin alleged in a statement that the aide "became verbally confrontational and physically blocked access to the office."
In a video shared by Gothamist, a New York City-focused news website that first reported the incident, an officer with the Federal Protective Service, part of the Department of Homeland Security, can be seen handcuffing an apparently distressed staffer. Another officer had confronted a second Nadler aide, who asked for a warrant.
'You're harboring rioters in the office,' the officer claimed, according to the video.
Nadler wrote in a statement after the incident that no arrests were made and that he was 'alarmed by the aggressive and heavy-handed tactics' used by the Department of Homeland Security.
'She was obviously traumatized. Now the fact is that this was totally unacceptable, the tactics were totally unacceptable, and they needed a warrant,' Nadler told CNN. "And my office is a congressional office. It's a completely separate branch of government. A co-equal branch of government with the executive for which they work. And they had no right to come in."
McLaughlin said in a statement the officers were conducting a security check after hearing reports that protesters were allegedly present in Nadler's office.
"Based on earlier incidents in a nearby facility, FPS officers were concerned about the safety of the federal employees in the office and went to the location to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those present," she said.
Nadler said he is writing a letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, demanding an investigation of the incident.
USA TODAY reached out to the House Judiciary Committee for comment.