Immigration detains New York mayoral candidate

Brad Lander, New York City's auditor general and mayoral candidate, was stopped and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as he was leaving an immigration court hearing.

According to local newspaper AMNY , Lander was accompanying a person whose case had been closed pending appeal. In a video of the moment shared on the social network Bluesky, the politician can be seen being approached in the hallways of the court by a series of federal agents, some wearing masks and balaclavas.

According to the Associated Press , the candidate grabbed the arm of the person authorities wanted to arrest, prompting the officer speaking to the candidate to tell him that he was “obstructing” ICE’s action. Lander responded that he was “just in the hallway” and was handcuffed, while asking to see a court warrant for his arrest.

“ You do not have the authority to detain American citizens who are seeking a warrant ,” the candidate is heard saying in a video shared on the candidate’s official account by his wife, Meg Barnette.

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

“This is not how we treat the rule of law, this is not how people are treated in the United States,” Meg Barnette said, calling the incident “ shocking and unacceptable ” in a press conference after the incident, as reported by NBC and the Associated Press.

On the social network X, the Department of Homeland Security said that Lander “ was arrested for assaulting law enforcement and obstructing a federal agent .”

“It is wrong for politicians who aspire to higher office to jeopardize the safety of law enforcement officers in order to achieve a viral moment. No one is above the law and if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will suffer consequences ,” the post also reads.

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was arrested for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer. Our heroic ICE law enforcement officers face a 413% increase in assaults against them—it is wrong that politicians seeking higher office undermine law enforcement…

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) June 17, 2025

Brad Lander is one of several candidates who will vote in the Democratic Party's primary elections next Tuesday to choose the party's candidate in the final vote, which will take place in November of this year.

Zohran Mamdani, a candidate who received Lander’s endorsement (and who also supported the other candidate), called the arrest “fascism.” “ All New Yorkers must speak with one voice. Release him now ,” Mamdani wrote on the social network X.

NYC Comptroller Brad Lander was just arrested by Trump's ICE agents because he asked to see a judicial warrant.

This is fascism and all New Yorkers must speak in one voice. Release him now. https://t.co/24rfwmIp5S

— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) June 17, 2025

Another primary candidate, former New York state governor Andrew Cuomo, said on Twitter that the detention was “ the latest example of Trump’s out-of-control ICE brutality .” “This is not who we are. This has to end, and it has to end now,” he warned.

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