NYC Comptroller Brad Lander Detained in Dramatic Immigration Court Encounter
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is also a leading candidate in the city’s upcoming Democratic mayoral primary, was detained by masked federal agents on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, following a dramatic incident at a federal immigration court in Lower Manhattan. The detention occurred as Lander was reportedly attempting to assist an individual leaving a courtroom at 26 Federal Plaza.
According to statements from his mayoral campaign and his wife, Meg Barnette, Lander was taken into custody by agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), accompanied by personnel from other agencies including the FBI, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and potentially the Treasury Department. The incident unfolded after Lander had attended court proceedings, a practice he described as “court watching” and “bearing witness” to immigration cases.
The Incident Unfolds at Federal Plaza
Sources indicate that the confrontation began around noon when Lander attempted to escort an individual whose immigration case had reportedly just been dismissed (pending appeal) out of the courthouse. Reports detail that Lander linked arms with the person, seeking to shield them from immediate detention by agents waiting outside the courtrooms.
As masked federal agents moved in to apprehend the individual, Lander reportedly refused to release his grip and repeatedly demanded that the agents produce a judicial warrant. During the encounter, captured partly on video posted to Lander’s social media, a scuffle ensued. Voices can be heard saying “put him in custody.” Agents are seen pinning Lander against a wall before handcuffing him.
Lander himself is heard protesting, stating, “I’m not obstructing, I’m standing right here in the hallway. I asked to see the judicial warrant.” He also asserted, “You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens asking for a judicial warrant.” An aide is heard asking where the Comptroller of New York City was being taken as he was led into an elevator, accompanied by a member of his NYPD security detail.
The specific reason for Lander’s detention was not immediately clear, although one news report, citing FOX News, mentioned an alleged charge of assaulting an ICE officer. However, other reports noted that agents refused to answer questions about the grounds for the arrest, and Lander’s status remained unclear for some time despite his legal counsel being present. One reporter present overheard an agent ask another moments before the detention, “Do you want to arrest the Comptroller?” The individual Lander was attempting to assist was also arrested.
Wife and Campaign Condemn Detention
Speaking outside the courthouse shortly after the incident, Lander’s wife, Meg Barnette, expressed confidence her husband would be released soon, as he is a U.S. citizen and elected official with access to legal support. However, she voiced deep distress and strong criticism of the actions, stating the situation was “shocking and unacceptable” and “not the rule of law.” She contrasted Lander’s relatively secure position with the vulnerability of other individuals in immigration court who face family separation without adequate explanation or resources.
Lander’s campaign spokesperson, Kat Capossela, stated simply that Brad “was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE” after escorting a defendant. Campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec added that he was detained by “masked agents” while escorting the defendant.
Context: Part of a Larger Trend
Lander’s detention is the latest in a series of high-profile clashes between federal immigration enforcement officials, often operating under policies associated with the Trump administration, and Democratic politicians who oppose those policies and advocate for immigrants.
Just the previous week, Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was reportedly forcibly removed and handcuffed while attempting to question a Homeland Security official during an immigration event.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was previously arrested at an ICE detention facility, and Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver faced charges stemming from that same incident.
Former President Trump and his “border czar” Tom Homan had even suggested California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass could face arrest.
Democratic officials and allies, including those supporting Lander, have widely characterized these confrontations as politically motivated actions aimed at intimidating critics and silencing opposition to stringent immigration enforcement. The incident also highlights a reported increase in federal agents making arrests outside immigration courtrooms, with some sources noting a significant rise in detentions of individuals with no criminal record.
Political Fallout and Reactions
The detention of a prominent citywide official and mayoral contender drew immediate and strong condemnation from fellow Democrats and political commentators.
Other Democratic mayoral candidates, like Zohran Mamdani, denounced the arrest as “fascism,” directly linking it to “Trump’s ICE agents” and demanding Lander’s immediate release.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams called the detention “immoral” and likened it to “kidnapping.”
Former Governor Andrew Cuomo described it as “the latest example of the extreme thuggery of Trump’s ICE,” while State Attorney General Letitia James called it a “grotesque escalation.”
- Texas Congressman Greg Casar deemed the arrest “outrageous” and “illegally arrested.”
- www.nbcnews.com
- abcnews.go.com
- www.fox5ny.com
- www.thecity.nyc
- www.theguardian.com
Lander himself framed his presence at the court — his third such visit in the prior month — as crucial advocacy during the final days of the mayoral primary campaign. He stated it was “more important to be right now than bearing witness and trying to stand up for the rule of law,” portraying his actions as a demonstration of how he would stand up to potential federal overreach, a key question facing candidates potentially dealing with figures like Donald Trump.
As the city heads towards its primary election next week, the detention of Brad Lander at an immigration court underscores the volatile intersection of federal immigration policy, civil rights advocacy, and local politics in New York City.
