Police apprehended over a dozen New York elected officials on September 18, 2025, at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan. This location houses a federal immigration court and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office. The officials were attempting to gain access to a lockup on the building’s 10th floor, where a recent court ruling mandated ICE to cease overcrowded and unsanitary detentions.
The arrested individuals, including New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and several state legislators, claimed they were “conducting oversight” amid reports that immigrants facing court hearings were being held for extended periods without basic necessities like food or medical care. Brad Lander, who had previously been arrested at the same facility for similar protests, expressed outrage at the treatment of detainees.
Among the arrested officials were:
- NYC Comptroller Brad Lander
- State Senators Julia Salazar, Jabari Brisport, and Gustavo Rivera
- Assembly members Robert Carroll, Emily Gallagher, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Marcela Mitaynes, Claire Valdez, Tony Simone, Steven Raga, and Phara Souffrant-Forrest
- Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
- Council members Sandy Nurse and Tiffany Caban
The arrests occurred around 3:45 PM local time, with reports indicating that some officials had been released by the time of reporting. Additionally, a significant number of protesters opposing ICE’s actions were also arrested outside the facility. A follow-up demonstration was planned later that evening at Foley Square.
Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor ICE provided immediate comments regarding the arrests, while the New York Police Department declined to discuss ongoing incidents.
Under federal law, congressional members can inspect immigration detention facilities without prior notice. In contrast, state and city lawmakers do not have the same authority and must await approval from DHS or ICE. Recent policies from the Trump administration have made such oversight more difficult, with new restrictions blocking certain visits.
Court rulings and civil rights organizations have spotlighted degrading conditions at 26 Federal Plaza. A recent injunction addressed allegations that detainees had been housed in overcrowded conditions, sometimes sleeping on floors, without adequate access to food and legal representation.
Advocates cite the treatment of detainees as part of a larger troubling trend seen across the United States, with numerous reports detailing similar situations in ICE facilities nationwide.
The protests aimed to bolster calls for the New York for All Act, which would prevent state and local agencies from cooperating with ICE, a measure meant to protect immigrants from what lawmakers describe as unlawful detentions. Lawmakers stressed that such actions are vital to uphold due process and resist pressure for local governments to act as extensions of ICE enforcement.
In supportive remarks, Emily Gallagher emphasized the urgent need for elected leaders to defend the rights of all New Yorkers, irrespective of their immigration status, condemning the heightened violence faced by immigrants under the current administration. Yasmine Farhang, executive director of the Immigrant Defense Project, also called for action against government egregiousness, urging the governor of New York to intervene to protect migrants.
The event has caught national attention as a growing number of officials and activists challenge ICE’s enforcement strategies, highlighting the struggle for immigrant rights in the ongoing national debate over immigration policy.
