New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is running for mayor as a Democratic candidate, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Tuesday while attending a court hearing involving illegal immigrants possibly set for deportation.
Lander was forcefully escorted out by federal authorities at an immigration court building in Manhattan. The mayoral candidate was walking alongside an immigrant whose case was dismissed pending appeal in court moments before.
“While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE,” Lander campaign spokeswoman Dora Pekec said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “This is still developing, and we are monitoring the situation closely.”
As he walked alongside the immigrant, Lander shouted, “Show me your warrant. Show me your badge.”
“I will let go if you show me a judicial warrant,” he continued, referring to his grip on the immigrant. “I would like to see the warrant, and then I will let go.”
Video footage then showed agents separating the two, pushing Lander against the wall, and restraining the public official.
“You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens,” Lander said. “I’m not obstructing, I am standing right here in the hallway. … You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens asking for a judicial warrant.”
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Reporters present in the hallway asked where the federal agents were taking Lander, to which they received no response. The Washington Examiner contacted ICE for comment.
Lander’s arrest comes one week before New York City’s mayoral primary election is set to be held.
A similar incident occurred last week when Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) was forcibly removed by federal authorities after he interrupted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference. The moment came days after riots began in Los Angeles, where the National Guard and Marines were sent by the Trump administration to quell the unrest.