Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is set to stand trial on Wednesday in a federal court in Manhattan. The trial stems from his arrest in September 2025 at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility located at 26 Federal Plaza. Lander, a Democrat who is running for Congress in a district covering lower Manhattan and northwest Brooklyn, was taken into custody after demanding access to rooms where detained immigrants were held.
Background of the Arrest
On September 18, 2025, Lander and ten other elected officials visited the federal building, which houses a major immigration court and an ICE field office. Their visit occurred amid a crackdown on immigrants by the Trump administration. According to Lander's legal team, ICE had begun arresting people at immigration courts, reversing a long-standing practice of avoiding such arrests at these locations. The surge in arrests overwhelmed processing facilities, leading ICE to use hold rooms to detain immigrants for up to three days, and longer in exceptional circumstances.
Conditions in Hold Rooms
Before the crackdown, immigrants held at 26 Federal Plaza were rarely detained for more than a day, with an average of six hours between January and April 2025. However, by mid-June 2025, the average detention time had soared to 103 hours, according to Lander's team. Some detainees filed lawsuits alleging overcrowded and squalid conditions. In response, Manhattan federal Judge Lewis Kaplan ordered the Department of Homeland Security and ICE to improve conditions. On September 17, Kaplan granted a preliminary injunction to protect immigrants from unconstitutional treatment.
The Incident at the Facility
Lander and the other elected officials decided to inspect the hold rooms on the 10th floor to ensure compliance with the court order and federal and state laws. They gained entry to the building after identifying themselves as elected officials. However, upon reaching the 10th floor, an officer told them they could not enter the hold rooms. Lander explained that a federal judge had deemed the conditions behind those doors a violation of federal law and cruel and inhumane, and that they had a responsibility to see for themselves.
The group was allowed to remain as long as they did not bang on the doors. They agreed, sat down, and began chanting and singing while requesting access. After a final warning, federal officers arrested them, citing illegal protest and blocking entrances. Lander received a ticket for blocking entrances, foyers, and corridors.
Rejection of Plea Deal
In October, federal officials offered to drop the violation if Lander agreed not to protest inside any federal building for six months. Lander refused, leading to the trial. The case highlights tensions over immigration enforcement and the treatment of detainees.
