ICE Arrests Mayoral Candidate Brad Lander, Sparks Political Backlash

Jorge L.
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ICE agents arrested Brad Lander, a Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, just days before voters head to the polls. The arrest inside a federal immigration building quickly sparked criticism and political reaction.

On June 17, Lander, who also serves as the city’s comptroller, walked a migrant out of 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan. As video footage shows, he asked the agents to show a judicial warrant. Moments later, masked ICE officers pinned him to a wall and placed him in handcuffs.

The Department of Homeland Security claimed that Lander interfered with federal officers and used physical force. However, Lander strongly denied the accusations. “I certainly did not assault an officer,” he said. He described the arrest as unnecessary and said he lost only a button on his shirt.

After holding him for several hours, agents released Lander. Governor Kathy Hochul joined him outside the courthouse. She later blasted the arrest, calling it “bullshit” and accusing ICE of targeting an elected official who was performing a public duty.

The federal government eventually dropped all charges. Still, the incident occurred just one week before the June 24 Democratic primary. At that point, early voting had already begun.

  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called it an “abuse of power.”
  • Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani said the move tried to “intimidate a public official.”
  • Former Governor Andrew Cuomo added his support for Lander’s actions.
  • ICE arrested Lander on June 17 inside a federal court building
  • Agents accused him of obstruction and assault; he denied all charges
  • Officials released him the same day; no charges were filed
  • Early voting was already underway for the June 24 primary
  • Several Democrats publicly supported Lander and condemned ICE

Growing Tension

Lander’s detention followed other ICE actions against Democratic officials, including California Senator Alex Padilla and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. These events have drawn attention to the growing tension between local leadership and federal immigration enforcement.

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