What happened
ICE agents Tuesday handcuffed and arrested Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller and one of 11 Democrats running for mayor, as he was escorting a migrant from a court hearing in Manhattan. Lander was held for about four hours before being released without charges. He was the fourth elected Democrat forcibly detained by federal agents in the past five weeks amid an uptick in White House-ordered immigration raids, especially in Democratic-run cities.
Who said what
"I'm happy to report I'm just fine, I lost a button," Lander said after leaving the courthouse with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). But "the rule of law is not fine and our constitutional democracy is not fine," he added. "We are normalizing family separation" and "due process rights violations."
Homeland Security Department spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Lander was arrested "for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer" while seeking a "viral" moment. "Eye-popping video" showed the city's chief financial officer being "manhandled and cuffed by the feds," but "no obvious assault by Lander," the New York Post said, though some "sources contended" he "pushed a federal agent's hands away." Lander said he "certainly did not assault an officer." Hochul called his arrest "bullshit."
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What next?
Hochul announced $50 million in state legal aid for migrants who are increasingly being detained at immigration hearings. Lander said he would continue observing immigration hearings, because it's "important to show up and bear witness and accompany people." He is polling in third place in mayoral polls ahead of next Tuesday's primary. Early voting is already underway.
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