NYC Mayoral Candidate Arrested by ICE During Immigration Court Protest

New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested by ICE agents after objecting to their arrest of an immigrant in a Manhattan courthouse hallway without producing a warrant. Lander locked arms with the immigrant and repeatedly demanded to see a judicial warrant, leading to his physical separation and arrest by masked ICE officers on charges of assault and obstruction. He was released several hours later, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed that charges against him were dropped. California Senator Alex Padilla, who was previously tackled by Kristi Noem's security detail, expressed that he was not surprised by Lander's arrest, framing it as part of the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between Democratic politicians and federal immigration authorities under President Trump's administration, with Lander attending immigration hearings to support immigrants against ICE detentions. Critics have mocked the actions of Lander and Padilla, emphasizing that political status does not exempt individuals from law enforcement actions.