New York mayor hopeful arrested for asking ICE if they have a warrant
Brad Lander, who is running for mayor of New York City, was arrested by federal agents on Tuesday after allegedly assaulting an ICE officer
In a shocking moment in American political history, federal agents arrested an elected New York City official and mayoral hopeful, Brad Lander, for allegedly assaulting an officer during an immigration hearing. Videos of the incident show Lander being forcefully pressed up against a wall after asking ICE officers to present a warrant as they dragged a man out of a courthouse.
This incident intensifies the already heated confrontation between immigration officials and Democratic critics of President Donald Trump's sweeping deportation raids, which have disregarded due process to track down and detain migrants. These raids have even been taking place during immigration hearings, like the one on Tuesday, where Lander and his wife were acting as advocates.
Footage capturing the arrest clearly shows Lander grappling with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel as they escort a detainee away from the immigration tribunal, while demanding they produce a legally required judicial warrant. "I will let go when you show me the judicial warrant," Lander asserted during the recorded exchange.
Following the arrest, the DHS issued a scathing statement via social media addressing Lander's arrest, berating the Comptroller for compromising officer safety in search of virality. "It is wrong that politicians seeking higher office undermine law enforcement safety to get a viral moment. No one is above the law, and if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will face consequences."
At a press conference in the wake of the arrest, Meg Barnette, Lander's wife, blasted the Trump administration's approach to immigration cases, reports the Mirror US.
A number of political figures have praised Lander's audacious opposition to Trump's ICE policies. Most notably, New York Attorney General Letitia James lauded Lander's proactive support of immigrant rights.
"This is profoundly unacceptable. Arresting Comptroller Lander for the simple act of standing up for immigrants and their civil rights is a shocking abuse of power. No one should face fear and intimidation in a courthouse, and this is a grotesque escalation of tensions. The administration's rampant targeting of New Yorkers only makes our communities less safe," James wrote in a statement.
Andrew Cuomo, another NYC mayoral candidate, took to social media to comment on Lander's arrest. "This is the latest example of the extreme thuggery of Trump's ICE out of control -- one can only imagine the fear families across our country feel when confronted with ICE," the ex-New York Governor posted on X.
Scott Stringer and Zohran Kwame Mamdani, also running for mayor, demanded Lander's immediate release. "This is fascism, and all New Yorkers must speak in one voice. Release him now," Mamdani declared.
This recent incident marks yet another significant clash between immigration officials and Democrats opposing Trump's immigration policies.
Just last week, California Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly ejected from a press conference featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristin Noem.
In May, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was in the running for governor in New Jersey, found himself under arrest for trespassing at an ICE detention facility within the state. The charge was subsequently dropped by Alina Habba, the interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey.
Meanwhile, Baraka's fellow Democrat, Rep. LaMonica McIver, faced charges for assaulting and obstructing federal agents during the same visit as the mayor.
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The Independent
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Daily Mail
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South Wales Argus
an hour ago
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