Comptroller Brad Lander released after dramatic arrest at ICE court hearing

City Comptroller Brad Lander has been released without charges after being arrested and accosted by masked federal agents at immigration court in Lower Manhattan.

The city’s elected financial watchdog, and a Democratic candidate for mayor, appeared at 26 Federal Plaza on the morning of June 17 to observe immigration hearings involving individuals marked for potential deportation.

Lander’s arrest, which amNewYork observed, occurred as the comptroller and his staff walked arm-in-arm with an immigrant whom federal agents — representing ICE, the FBI, and the Treasury Department, each of whom was wearing masks to conceal their faces — moved to seize after a court hearing. Moments earlier, the immigrant had their case dismissed pending further appeal.

City Comptroller Brad Lander was arrested and accosted by masked federal agents at immigration court in Lower Manhattan.Photo by Dean Moses

As the agents moved to pull Lander away and take the immigrant into custody, the comptroller shouted, “Show me your warrant, show me your badge.”

Comptroller Brad lander was just arrested by ICE at federal plassa. pic.twitter.com/FnVc7ZWact

— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 17, 2025

“I will let go if you show me a judicial warrant,” he repeated. “I would like to see the warrant, and then I will let go.”

Seconds later, one of the officers said, “Take him in.” The agents then forcibly removed Lander, pushed him against the wall and cuffed him.

“You don’t have the authority to arrest US citizens,” Lander said. “I’m not obstructing, I am standing right here in the hallway. … You don’t have the authority to arrest US citizens asking for a judicial warrant.”

City Comptroller Brad Lander was arrested and accosted by masked federal agents at immigration court in Lower Manhattan.Photo by Dean Moses

The agents did not respond to someone’s question as to where they took Lander. The charges against Lander are unknown at this time; sources close to the incident indicated he may be released on a summons.

“While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad Lander was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE,” said Dora Pekec, a spokesperson for Lander. “This is still developing, and we are monitoring the situation closely.”

While in custody, Lander’s NYPD detail remains with him along with two attorneys, sources said.

Lander’s wife, Meg Barnette, spoke about the arrest and kept things in perspective.

“I know in all likelihood, he’s going to be OK,” Barnette said (h/t Jeff Coltin, City and State). “All of the other folks in that building are risking having are risking having their families torn apart with inadequate explanation, and it’s an abomination, and it is not what we stand for in this country.”

In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin claimed Lander had been arrested “for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer,” though video at the scene shows no definitive evidence that the comptroller assaulted any of the heavily armed, masked officers.

However, hours after his arrest, Lander left 26 Federal Plaza a free man and without being charged with a crime.

Comptroller hopefuls fume over ‘Trump’s ICE cowboy gestapo’

Earlier this year, Lander declined to seek re-election as comptroller and is currently one of nine Democrats running for the party’s mayoral nomination in the June 24 primary. Early voting in the contest is already underway.

Two of the Democrats seeking to succeed Lander as comptroller — Brooklyn City Council Member Justin Brannan and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine — pulled no punches in condemning his arrest Tuesday.

“Trump’s ICE cowboy gestapo isn’t about public safety it’s about authoritarianism,” Brannan said on X (formerly Twitter). “It shreds the rule of law, ignores due process, and targets people based on fear and hate. We can’t let this fascist playbook become the new normal.

“Masked ICE agents just violently arrested a US citizen —and elected official — for simply asking to see a judicial warrant,” Levine wrote in his X post. “This is authoritarianism. Comptroller Lander must be released immediately.”

This is a developing story; check with amNY.com later for additional updates.