Official and mayoral candidate Brad Lander is handcuffed by masked US federal brokers.
New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander has been arrested by federal brokers at an immigration courtroom, because the administration of US President Donald Trump steps up its confrontational strategy with native officers over immigration raids.
Lander, a central candidate within the metropolis’s Democratic major election for mayor, was escorting a defendant out of courtroom on Tuesday as a part of an effort to look at immigration hearings and promote authorized companies for immigrants when he was arrested by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Whereas escorting a defendant out of immigration courtroom at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad was taken by masked brokers and detained by ICE,” reads a put up on Lander’s social media account that claims it was written by his spouse.
The arrest is the newest case of the Trump administration taking a harsh stance in direction of Democratic officers who’re essential of its aggressive strategy to immigration enforcement. Federal immigration businesses have stepped up apprehensions at immigration courts in current weeks, a apply that critics say discourages immigrants from collaborating within the judicial system.
Democratic lawmakers expressed outrage final week when California Senator Alex Padilla was handcuffed after making an attempt to interrupt a information convention by Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem amid protests towards immigration raids in Los Angeles, throughout which Trump additionally threatened to have California Governor Gavin Newsom arrested.
Different mayoral candidates have rallied to Lander’s aspect, with New York State Meeting Member Zohran Mamdani calling the arrest a part of a pattern of ICE “terrorising folks throughout the nation” and former state governor Andrew Cuomo calling it “thuggery” by the Trump administration.
In a video of Lander’s arrest, he appeared to be attempting to carry arms with the defendant earlier than brokers – some sporting face masks – bodily separate the 2 and handcuff the comptroller. Lander might be heard repeatedly asking for a judicial warrant, which is required for immigration arrests beneath some circumstances. An officer holds up a paper saying it’s a warrant, although he doesn’t go it over.
After cuffing Lander, federal brokers might be heard telling the comptroller that he’s “obstructing” as he tells them they “don’t have authority to arrest US residents”.
“They stated, ‘You’re obstructing,’” Lander’s spouse Meg Barnette stated at a press convention shortly after the incident. “I used to be shoved out of the way in which.”
“What I noticed was surprising and unacceptable,” added Barnette, who’s a lawyer. “What I noticed at present was not the rule of legislation.”
The US Division of Homeland Safety instructed CBS Information that the Lander was arrested “assaulting legislation enforcement and impeding a federal officer” and accused him of undermining public security to “get a viral second”.
