New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and FBI agents on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. The entire incident took place outside a federal immigration court in New York City. It seemed to shine a spotlight on the long-tensed relations between immigrants, immigration enforcement, and civil liberties.
Lander’s detention happened while he was escorting a defendant from the immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza. According to eyewitness accounts, Lander challenged the agents by demanding to see a judicial warrant before being detained in handcuffs. Surveillance video footage from the scene captured Lander when he was outside the courthouse, as he’s confronted by officers in masks.
Just days before this incident, federal agents had accosted the very progressive Senator Alex Padilla. They physically removed him from a press conference sponsored by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles. Padilla’s experience is a cautionary tale about a growing threat. It tackles the targeting of public officials and activists who participate in public discourse on immigration policy.
Meg Barnette, Lander’s wife, went on social media platform X to provide information on the accident. She shared the experience of masked agents grabbing Brad while he was escorting a defendant. Even with all of the outreach, this dramatic event underscored the urgency of the situation.
“While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE,” – Meg Barnette
Barnette mentioned that the story is still ongoing and that their team is tracking it day by day.
“This is still developing, and our team is monitoring the situation closely,” – Barnette
The recent incident with Lander has raised important questions about how these types of actions against prominent public figures should be viewed in the larger context. Padilla issued a statement regarding his great concern about the situation. He worries that everyday people no longer would know what would happen to them if they speak out or pursue justice.
“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,” – Padilla