Brad Lander, the New York City Comptroller and a leading Democratic candidate for mayor, was arrested by federal agents on Tuesday for allegedly assaulting an immigration official during a dramatic confrontation at an immigration court. According to media reports, the incident occurred when Lander was allegedly seen hanging onto Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as they escorted a defendant out of court at 26 Federal Plaza. The video footage reportedly shows Lander repeatedly asking officials if they had a judicial warrant for the arrest of the defendant, insisting, “I will let go when you show me the judicial warrant. Where is it? Where is the warrant?”
Hours after the arrest, Lander was released from the federal courthouse in New York, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul stating that the charges against him had been dropped. However, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York indicated it is “continuing to investigate” L, and the charges against him had been dropped, though the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said it is “continuing to investigate” Lander’s actions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) criticized the incident, with a spokesperson stating that “Our heroic ICE law enforcement officers face a 413% increase in assaults against them—it is wrong that politicians seeking higher office undermine law enforcement safety to get a viral moment.”
While Lander’s allies have hailed the incident as an act of defiance against federal immigration policies, critics have accused him of staging the arrest as political theater. Joe Borelli, a former New York City councilman and GOP political operative, claimed that the arrest was part of a “coordinated plan” to boost Lander’s profile and simultaneously support another left-leaning candidate, Zohran Mamdani, with whom he has cross-endorsed. Borelli accused Lander of “fake outrage” over being arrested, a claim the Comptroller has denied, stating that he would “defend the laws of this city” and stand up to “Donald Trump and ICE.”
In an appearance at a press conference outside the federal courthouse, Lander thanked those who protested his arrest and criticized former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a leading mayoral candidate, saying, “New Yorkers deserve better in a mayor than Andrew Cuomo.” Lander’s campaign also expressed support for other Democratic mayoral candidates who took part in the protests, calling for the defense of New York’s sanctuary city policies, which were previously championed by Lander during his tenure as New York City Comptroller.
Meanwhile, the incident has been seen by some as a reflection of the larger ideological divide in New York politics. Republican leaders have condemned the arrest, with New York Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt stating that “anyone who obstructs or assaults law enforcement officials – including attention-hungry politicians – deserves to be arrested.” William O’Reilly, a New York Republican political consultant, added that Lander is “just the latest idiotic New York City progressive getting arrested for supporting lawbreakers.”
The controversy has intensified amid the growing mayoral race, with early voting already underway and election day just a week away. As the political stakes rise, the incident highlights the polarized nature of the race and the potential consequences of the charges. While Lander’s legal team has expressed confidence in his case, the incident will likely continue to influence public perception of the candidates and shape the political discourse in New York City.