On Tuesday, New York City Comptroller and mayoral hopeful Brad Lander was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as he was escorting a defendant out of a federal immigration court, according to statements from his wife.
Meg Barnette, Lander’s wife, detailed the incident on X, stating, “While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE.”
As the situation unfolded, she noted, “This is still developing, and our team is monitoring the situation closely.” A request for comment from ICE was not immediately answered by Finance Newso.
Footage shared online captures the moment Lander was approached by agents outside the courtroom, some of whom were masked. In the video, Lander can be heard repeatedly asking the officers to present a judicial warrant before being handcuffed.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, Barnette confirmed Lander remained in custody. She mentioned that he has retained a personal attorney as well as additional legal counsel from the city.
During a press conference addressing the incident, Barnette expressed her emotions: “I am just very aware of how I feel right now watching Brad being taken away and that it’s going to be okay, and for all of those other families in there, they can’t say that.”
Lander is currently a candidate in the upcoming Democratic primary for the mayoral race in New York City.
This arrest comes shortly after a separate incident in which Senator Alex Padilla of California was handcuffed while being forcibly removed from a press conference held by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles.
Padilla remarked on the Senate floor, “If that is what the administration is going to do to a United States senator for having the authority to simply ask a question, imagine what they will do to any American who dares to speak up.”
This is a developing story and updates will follow.
