NYC mayoral candidate Brad Lander detained by ICE in controversial immigration court clash

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a leading candidate for mayor, was detained Tuesday by masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents outside a federal immigration court. Lander was assisting a defendant at the time and was forcibly taken into custody along with his NYPD security detail. He was released five hours later without charges, but the incident has sparked widespread outrage over ICE’s tactics and treatment of elected officials and immigrants.

A dramatic confrontation at federal court

Lander, who was observing immigration proceedings at 26 Federal Plaza, was helping a man named Edgardo when ICE agents swarmed the group. According to Lander, the agents refused to present a judicial warrant and forcibly separated him from Edgardo, who was subsequently detained. Video footage shows Lander repeatedly questioning the agents’ authority to arrest a U.S. citizen without a warrant.

After his release, Lander addressed reporters, expressing gratitude for his safety but condemning the government’s actions. “I will be fine, but Edgardo will not,” he said. “This is not the rule of law. This is not due process. This is not acceptable in our constitutional democracy.”

Lander’s wife, Meg Barnette, who accompanied him to the courthouse, described a chaotic and intimidating environment. She highlighted cases where defendants were left confused by dismissals that effectively subjected them to immediate deportation without warning. She called the proceedings “a place of fear” and criticized ICE agents for targeting vulnerable individuals.

Broader concerns over ICE practices

The incident is the latest in a series of high-profile confrontations involving ICE and opposition figures. Other officials, including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and New Jersey Representative LaMonica McIver, have also been arrested or detained after standing against immigration enforcement policies. Critics argue that ICE’s actions reflect a pattern of targeting activists and elected leaders who oppose its practices.

State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, who is also running for mayor, accused ICE of operating as a “terrorizing force,” citing additional cases of New Yorkers being detained under questionable circumstances. Mamdani referenced the detention of a Bronx high schooler and Mahmoud Khalil, who remains in custody months after a judge ruled his detention unconstitutional.

Councilmember Tiffany Cabán called ICE a “rogue agency” and urged New Yorkers to resist its overreach. “If you are part of the government or military, you do not have to obey illegal orders,” she said, urging officials to protect their communities and resist ICE’s tactics.

A growing outcry

Elected officials and activists denounced the treatment of Lander and others, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul dismissing the detention as “bullshit.” New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams described ICE’s methods as deceptive, accusing agents of luring individuals into courtrooms only to ambush them with masked officers upon dismissal of their cases.

Daniel Coates, of Make the Road New York, provided further details on the dire conditions at 26 Federal Plaza. He described overcrowded holding areas where detainees are denied basic necessities, such as proper sleeping arrangements and medical care. Coates called for greater oversight, noting that ICE has blocked congressional representatives from accessing the facility to investigate these conditions.

Lander’s detention has amplified calls to reform or abolish ICE, with critics arguing that its practices undermine due process and constitutional rights. As the controversy unfolds, the incident has further fueled debate about immigration enforcement and its impact on New York’s immigrant communities.