Watch the moment NYC mayoral candidate Brad Lander is detained by ICE
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Watch the moment NYC mayoral candidate Brad Lander is detained by ICE
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was detained by federal agents inside a Manhattan courthouse on June 17. Lander appeared to be asking to see a warrant for a man taken into custody while walking out of immigration court, videos show. The city’s top financial officer, Lander is also running for New York City mayor. He can be seen in a video posted to his Facebook page by his wife, Meg, holding the man being escorted by a few masked immigration agents through a crowd of people. He is pushed up against a wall, handcuffed and repeatedly states, “you don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens”
Lander appeared to be asking to see a warrant for a man taken into custody while walking out of immigration court, videos show.
In a statement, Dora Pekec, a spokesperson for Lander’s campaign, said Lander had been escorting a defendant out of immigration court, USA TODAY reported. He was taken by masked agents and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“This is still developing and we are monitoring the situation closely,” Pekec said in a statement.
Here’s what we know so far.
Who is Brad Lander?
Currently the city’s top financial officer, Lander is also running for New York City mayor. According to his campaign website and the city’s website, Lander previously ran housing organizations Fifth Avenue Committee and Pratt Center for Community Development and served on the City Council for 12 years.
He lives with his wife Meg Barnette in Brooklyn and has two children, Marek and Rosa.
Brad Lander detained by federal agents: Watch the video
Lander can be seen in a video posted to his Facebook page by his wife, Meg, holding the man being escorted by a few masked immigration agents through a crowd of people.
Lander repeatedly asks if the agents have a judicial warrant and after being separated from the man by the agents, is pushed up against a wall, handcuffed and repeatedly states, “you don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens.”
“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,” the post reads.
‘This is profoundly unacceptable’: NY AG releases statement about Brad Lander’s detainment
New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement about Lander’s detainment Tuesday:
“This is profoundly unacceptable. Arresting Comptroller Lander for the simple act of standing up for immigrants and their civil rights is a shocking abuse of power. No one should face fear and intimidation in a courthouse, and this is a grotesque escalation of tensions. The administration’s rampant targeting of New Yorkers only makes our communities less safe.”
Contributing: USA Today Network
Emily Barnes on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.