New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Tuesday after allegedly becoming involved in a confrontation with federal officers during an immigration court proceeding. The incident occurred at 26 Federal Plaza, where Lander reportedly questioned officials about the presence of ICE at the facility. The arrest led to a heated exchange between Lander and the agents, as footage reportedly showed him holding on to the ICE officers as they escorted a defendant out of court.
Hours later, Lander was released from the federal courthouse alongside New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who stated that charges against Lander had been dropped. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, however, indicated that it is still investigating the matter. The incident sparked a backlash from various officials and civil rights advocates, with some condemning the arrest as an abuse of power and a significant threat to democracy and the rule of law.
Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, called the arrest an abuse of power and a danger to democracy, stating, “Arresting a public official, the duly-elected comptroller of the City of New York, for asking questions is dangerous intimidation and shows a wanton disregard for the will of the people of New York.” She added that the arrest sends an unmistakably authoritarian message and that elected officials should condemn it in the strongest terms.
New York Attorney General Letitia James described Lander’s actions as “standing up for immigrants,” emphasizing the gravity of the situation with a statement that denounced the arrest as a shocking abuse of power. “No one should face fear and intimidation in a courthouse, and this is a grotesque escalation of tensions,” she said. “The administration’s rampant targeting of New Yorkers only makes our communities less safe.”
Other public officials took to social media to react to the high-profile arrest. Former New York Governor and NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo wrote on X, “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.” He added, “Fear of separation, fear of being taken from their schools, fear of being detained without just cause. This is not who we are. This must stop, and it must stop now.”
Mayoral candidates Scott Stringer and Zohran Kwame Mamdani called for Lander’s immediate release, with Stringer stating, “The recent politicization of federal immigration authorities under the Trump administration is disturbing and shameful.” Mamdani added, “This is fascism and all New Yorkers must speak in one voice. Release him now.”
The arrest comes less than a month after charges were dropped against Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka for federal trespassing at Delaney Hall, a privately operated ICE facility. The incident has sparked a broader national conversation about the role of political figures in challenging law enforcement actions, as well as the implications for civil liberties and immigration policy. As the situation continues to unfold, the events surrounding Lander’s arrest are likely to be a significant topic of discussion in political and legal circles, reflecting ongoing tensions between public officials and federal immigration enforcement.