• Brad Lander, NYC comptroller, was arrested by ICE while escorting a defendant out of immigration court.
• The incident occurred amid increased immigration enforcement actions under the Trump administration.
• New York officials, including Governor Hochul, condemned the arrest as an abuse of power.

New York City Comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at an immigration court on Tuesday while attempting to assist a defendant. Lander was reportedly "taken by masked agents and detained" as he was escorting the individual out of the courtroom, prompting outrage among supporters and local officials, according to latimes and huffpost.

Witnesses described a struggle lasting over 40 seconds between Lander and federal agents, with video capturing the moment he asked for a judicial warrant before being handcuffed. “You're obstructing,” one agent said, to which Lander replied, “I’m not obstructing. I'm standing right here in the hallway,” as outlined in reports from Reuters and BBC.

Department of Homeland Security officials later claimed that Lander was arrested for "assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer." Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that politicians seeking office should not undermine law enforcement during active operations. This response garnered reactions from Lander’s campaign, asserting he was merely providing support to immigrants navigating the legal system, according to ABC News and India Times.

The arrest sparked immediate backlash, including comments from fellow candidates and public officials. Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her outrage, saying, "How dare they take an elected official...to escort people who are afraid to walk into a courthouse?” She emphasized Lander's role in helping immigrants feel safe in the judicial process, reflecting sentiments echoed by other Democratic leaders who criticized the escalating confrontation between local and federal authorities, as reported by The Hill and Al Jazeera.