New York City mayoral candidate forcefully detained by US immigration agents at Manhattan court

Brad Lander was arrested after linking arms with an immigrant outside a Manhattan court in protest against federal deportation tactics.

LAST UPDATE | 17 Jun 2025

Hi, this is Meg Barnette, Brad's wife.

While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE.

This is still developing, and our team is monitoring the situation closely. pic.twitter.com/jekaDFjsT1
— Brad Lander (@bradlander) June 17, 2025

BRAD LANDER, A candidate in New York City’s upcoming mayoral election, was arrested by US immigration agents today while leaving an immigration court in Manhattan.

Lander, who also holds the elected role of the city’s chief financial watchdog, was detained after he reportedly attempted to accompany an immigrant out of the courthouse whose deportation case had just been dismissed.

According to his campaign, Lander was approached by masked federal agents, reportedly from ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and other agencies outside the court.

Witnesses told local media that Lander linked arms with the man and demanded to see a judicial warrant, before agents forcibly separated and arrested him.

Footage shared on social media shows Lander being handcuffed and pushed against a wall by officers.

new-york-city-comptroller-brad-lander-is-placed-under-arrest-by-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-ice-and-fbi-agents-outside-federal-immigration-court-on-tuesday-june-17-2025-in-new-york-ap-p Brad lander being detained by US officials. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

“Show me your warrant,” he is heard saying. “You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens.”

The 55-year-old Democrat is a prominent political figure in in New York, and has long been critical of ICE’s presence at New York courthouses.

In recent months, he has publicly condemned federal immigration tactics as heavy-handed and legally questionable.

His arrest comes just weeks after he called for increased legal aid for migrants and denounced courthouse arrests as a violation of due process.

The arrest has sparked outcry, as Lander’s wife, Meg Barnette, and several New York officials held a press conference calling for his immediate release.

Barnette said that the masked agents refused to identify themselves or produce legal documentation.

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams described the incident as “immoral,” while fellow mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani labelled it “fascism”.

US federal authorities, including ICE, have not yet commented on the incident.