Demonstrators' clash with law enforcement leads to arrest of city's elected representatives near NYC immigration detention center.
In a dramatic turn of events, more than a dozen elected officials were arrested during protests at a New York City immigration holding facility. The protests were sparked by concerns over the conditions within the detention centre, with officials seeking to inspect the holding rooms on the 10th floor.
The events unfolded as a group of officials, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders, went to the facility to check if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was complying with a court order. However, federal agents barred them from entering the holding rooms.
The situation escalated when the building was later locked down due to a telephoned bomb threat. Despite this, the officials persisted, leading to their arrests. Among those detained were Jumaane Williams, the city's public advocate, City Council Member Tiffany Caban, and Democratic state Sen. Julia Salazar.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused the city's comptroller, Brad Lander, of showing up "unannounced with agitators and media" and yelling that he wouldn't leave until detainees were released. Lander, however, described the conditions on the 10th floor as both disgusting and cowardly. He also mentioned that no elected official or other oversight agency has been allowed to inspect the conditions at the immigration holding facility.
Lander further stated that a federal judge has indicated that the federal law is not being followed and that conditions are cruel and inhumane. This assertion follows a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, requiring ICE to provide adequate space, thorough cleaning, and necessary hygiene products, as well as to make accommodations for confidential, unmonitored, and unrecorded legal telephone calls. The injunction followed a temporary restraining order last month in response to a lawsuit filed by immigration and civil rights organizations.
The protests outside the garage entrance of the facility resulted in dozens of arrests, including politicians, advocates, and religious leaders. Another arrested politician, state Sen. Jabari Brisport, stated that immigration officials used zip ties to lock the doors to the holding areas and put duct tape over cracks to prevent them from seeing inside.
The arrests and the conditions at the immigration detention centre have sparked widespread concern and calls for reform. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing issues faced by immigrants in detention centres across the United States.
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