Another sanctuary city Democrat was hauled away in handcuffs after interfering with federal agents trying to arrest an illegal immigrant.
Federal agents arrested New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander on Tuesday for allegedly assaulting a federal officer outside an immigration court.
After Lander’s grandstanding, followed by being detained for several hours, he walked out of 26 Federal Plaza alongside Gov. Kathy Hochul. He announced charges against him of assaulting and obstructing the feds were dropped, The New York Post reported.
“What this is about is making sure that everybody has an opportunity to have a lawyer, to have their due process,” he said after his release.
The scene unfolded in a crowded hallway, where Lander was handcuffed as he tried to “accompany” a person out of a courtroom. The person he was walking out of the courtroom with was also arrested, per local outlet PIX11 News.
The comptroller vocally protested masked federal agents hauling away a man leaving an immigration hearing. Lander’s arrest was recorded by reporters and other officials, with Lander saying, “I’m not obstructing. I’m standing right here in the hallway. I asked to see the judicial warrant.”
After being handcuffed and escorted down the hallway, he said, “You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens asking for a judicial warrant.” Lander is taken into an elevator as onlookers ask where he will be taken.
PIX11 News reported Lander is accused of “assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer,” according to Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security.
Todd Lyons, ICE’s acting director, appeared on FOX News Tuesday afternoon, saying “we can’t have anyone interfering with our ICE operations.”
Prior to Lander’s arrest, agents could be seen trying to physically separate Lander from the man they had come to detain. Lander briefly struggled to stay close to the detainee before he was pulled away, PIX11 News reported.
Video posted to social media by Lander’s wife, Meg Barnette, shows a chaotic scene with many people crowded around as officers walk Lander down the hallway. In an unrelated news conference last week, Lander said he has been accompanying people out of immigration court.
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
Barnette told reporters after Lander’s detention that he linked arms with an immigrant who had his asylum case dismissed – a step that could lead to deportation even if there’s an appeal, The Post reported.
Many elected officials responded to Lander’s arrest, Fox News Digital reported. Even his bitter enemy former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also running for mayor, wrote on X: “This is the latest example of the extreme thuggery of Trump’s ICE out of control.”
This is the latest example of the extreme thuggery of Trump's ICE out of control — one can only imagine the fear families across our country feel when confronted with ICE. Fear of separation, fear of being taken from their schools, fear of being detained without just cause.… https://t.co/KVdEqvI0aP
— Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) June 17, 2025
New York Attorney General Letitia James described Lander’s actions as “standing up for immigrants” and wrote in a statement, “This is profoundly unacceptable.”
Mayoral candidates Scott Stringer and Democrat Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani called for Lander to be released “immediately.” Mamdani and Lander recently cross-endorsed each other in the New York City mayoral election, per PIX11 News.
“This is fascism and all New Yorkers must speak in one voice,” Mamdani added. “Release him now.”
Known as the Big Apple’s avowed socialist, Lander has retooled some of his most radical left-wing positions, The New York Post reported in November. Lander has touted the mantra that the rich must “pay their fair share” throughout his political career.
On crime and policing, Lander was once a “defund the police” crusader and is a “self-described, dues-paying Democratic socialist,” The Post reported.
