• Over a dozen New York officials were arrested during a protest at an ICE facility.
• The protest was in response to a federal judge's order on ICE conditions.
• Officials were denied access to inspect holding cells, leading to sit-ins and blockades.
• More than 75 people were detained throughout the events.
• The protest highlights ongoing opposition to current immigration enforcement policies.

More than a dozen elected officials and activists were arrested on September 18 during a protest against conditions at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Manhattan. The gathering took place at 26 Federal Plaza, where officials, including New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, sought to inspect holding cells after a federal judge issued a court order requiring improvements in their operation due to complaints of unsanitary and overcrowded conditions, according to HuffPost.

During the protest, Lander and other officials were denied access to the facility's 10th floor and decided to sit on the ground outside, chanting slogans like "ICE out of NY," according to AA. As tensions escalated, about 71 individuals were taken into custody by federal and city authorities, reflecting ongoing dissent against Trump's administration's immigration policies, as highlighted by Reuters.

The protests were organized in light of an 84-page court ruling that criticized the conditions of the detention cells, which reportedly housed up to 90 detainees in overcrowded, degrading conditions, according to ABC News. Demonstrators unfurled banners and demanded transparency regarding the treatment of individuals held in these facilities, emphasizing the need for oversight, which federal law grants to congressional members but not to state or local officials.

The event marks a significant moment in the ongoing clashes between federal enforcement agencies and local politicians advocating for immigrant rights. Previous protests in recent months have also drawn large crowds and resulted in multiple arrests, with leaders like Lander previously detained during similar demonstrations, illustrating the heightening tensions surrounding immigration policies in New York City, as reported by ABC News and Reuters.