New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was released on Tuesday after a brief arrest linked to a disturbance at a federal courthouse in New York City. The incident occurred while Lander and his wife were advocating for defendants in immigration court, as his campaign for mayor intensifies.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Lander’s arrest, accusing him of “assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer.” They expressed disapproval, stating: “It is wrong that politicians seeking higher office undermine law enforcement safety to get a viral moment. No one is above the law, and if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will face consequences.”
Following his release, Lander denied the allegations against him. Speaking to reporters, he asserted, “I will not characterize the events, but I certainly did not assault an officer.”
Lander condemned the current political climate, stating, “We are not going to allow Donald Trump to wreck the rule of law, to deny people due process and to turn our country into something that doesn’t meet its obligations under international law.”
He further emphasized, “We are normalizing the destruction of constitutional democracy, and we’re not going to stand by and let it happen.”
As comptroller, Lander’s responsibilities include auditing city agencies’ performance and finances. He is currently campaigning in the Democratic primary for the mayoral election scheduled for next week.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul was present at the courthouse for Lander’s release. She asserted that, “to my knowledge, any charges had been dropped” and noted that Lander “walks out of there a free man.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York indicated that an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Hochul voiced her strong feelings regarding Lander’s arrest, labeling it “total bull—” on social media platform X. She questioned, “When elected officials are being detained without cause, we have to ask: what the hell is happening to our country? This federal overreach cannot go unchecked. We must meet this moment and protect our rights and values.”
According to Kat Capossela, Lander’s campaign press secretary, he was detained by masked agents and taken away by ICE agents after he was found “escorting a defendant out of immigration court.”
During an MSNBC interview later that evening, Lander recounted the experience: after being handcuffed, he spent 3½ hours in a detention room before his release. He claimed, “They took the cuffs off, and I just sat for 3½ hours in a detention room,” adding that Hochul’s presence was instrumental in his eventual release.
When asked if he was treated roughly during his arrest, Lander answered affirmatively, describing the agents’ actions as “not gentle.”
This incident marks another confrontation in a series of escalating tensions between immigration officials and Democratic leaders opposing President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
Last week, Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was forcibly removed from a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristin Noem. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, also a candidate for governor of New Jersey, faced trespassing charges at an ICE detention facility last month; although those charges were eventually dropped, Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver was charged with assaulting law enforcement during that incident. Trump and his administration have indicated that California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass may also face legal repercussions.
Democratic officials assert that these detentions were politically motivated and have been vocal in countering the Trump administration’s approach to immigration, which they criticize as aggressive.
In a video posted on Lander’s personal social media account, he can be seen surrounded by law enforcement officers, including those wearing masks and marked with “police” insignia. At one point, bystanders can be heard telling officers to “put him in custody,” leading to a scuffle before Lander was restrained and handcuffed.
Lander can be heard arguing in the video, “I’m not obstructing. I’m standing right here in the hallway. I asked to see the judicial warrant.” He further insisted, “You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens asking for a judicial warrant.”
As he was being led away, an aide questioned, “Where are you taking the comptroller of the city of New York?”
Lander’s wife, Meg Barnette, spoke with media shortly after her husband’s release, condemning the Trump administration’s treatment of immigrants. She called the handling of immigration cases a violation of fundamental rights, saying such actions are “not the way we deal with rule of law; this is not the way people are treated in the United States.”
Barnette expressed distress over the situation, remarking on the fear felt by families navigating the immigration process: “I feel really rattled and scared, and my husband is a candidate for mayor, is an elected citywide official, is a U.S. citizen.”
She added, “All of the other folks in that building are risking having their families torn apart with inadequate explanation. And it’s an abomination.”
She noted that a member of Lander’s New York police security detail was also present during the detention.
At a press conference outside the courthouse, Barnette was joined by other city leaders and officials, including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and City Council member Tiffany Cabán. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, another Democratic mayoral candidate, took to social media to describe the incident as “the latest example of the extreme thuggery of Trump’s ICE.”
In response, New York Attorney General Letitia James criticized the Trump administration for targeting New Yorkers, calling Lander’s arrest a “grotesque escalation of tensions.”
The tensions surrounding immigration policy continue to resonate, as the upcoming mayoral primary adds to the contentious atmosphere, reflecting broader issues in the national political landscape.
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