NYC Mayoral Hopeful Brad Lander Detained by ICE

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and FBI agents outside federal immigration court on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in New York. Olga Fedorova | AP

Brad Lander, who is running for mayor, was detained while escorting a defendant out of immigration court, according to a statement from his wife. “While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE,” said Meg Barnette on X.

“This is still developing, and our team is monitoring the situation closely,” Barnette added. ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Video footage of the incident shows Lander outside a courtroom when approached by officers, some of whom were wearing masks. Lander can be heard repeatedly asking the officers to present a judicial warrant before he is handcuffed, according to the video shared by Barnette.

As of early Tuesday afternoon, Barnette confirmed that Lander remained in custody during a press conference following the incident. “I am just very aware of how I feel right now watching Brad being taken away and that it’s going to be ok, and for all of those other families in there, they can’t say that,” she said.

Lander is a candidate in the upcoming Democratic primary for New York City mayor. This incident follows reports of a similar situation involving Senator Alex Padilla, D-Calif., who was handcuffed after being forcibly removed from a press conference held by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles. “If that is what the administration is going to do to a United States senator for having the authority to simply ask a question, imagine what they will do to any American who dares to speak up,” Padilla stated during remarks from the Senate floor on Tuesday.

This is a developing story and will be updated.