Federal authorities apprehend more immigrants in court settings; demonstrators voice opposition to detentions outside 26 Federal Plaza
In the heart of New York City, 26 Federal Plaza has become a focal point of nationwide protests against the practices of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. On Monday, a demonstration organised by Refuse Fascism as part of the "No Business As Usual" campaign took place outside the building.
The protest, led by Coco Das, a national leader of Refuse Fascism, was not just another rally but a preparation for a future nationwide uprising. The goal is to grind the machinery of the current administration to a halt and refuse to stop until it is removed from power.
The focus of the protests is the ICE detention facility situated on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza. The facility has been under scrutiny due to increased ICE arrests and detentions, as well as reports of violent incidents. For instance, on July 18, a detainee attempted to stab officers and other detainees with scissors at this location.
The facility's conditions have drawn widespread criticism, with advocates describing them as inhumane and unsanitary. A leaked video showed people packed into the detention facility, some sleeping on the floor in dirty clothing, and detainees near a shared toilet with no privacy.
The Rev. Nathanael Saint-Pierre of St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church spoke at the protest, urging action and stating that prayer is not enough. He expressed concerns about his safety as a Black man and the potential for being kidnapped.
The protests also called for an end to immigration raids and detentions. Several individuals were seen covering their faces with shirts to block overhead lighting, and over a two-hour span, our platform observed the arrests of five individuals who had been attending mandatory immigration court hearings.
Criticism of ICE’s operations at 26 Federal Plaza includes legal challenges from New York groups aiming to reverse ICE’s courthouse arrest policies, alleging issues with how ICE enforces regulations under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Broader criticism often focuses on the conditions inside such detention centers, the impact of ICE’s enforcement tactics, and concerns about civil rights.
The nationwide campaign against ICE detention practices is not limited to New York. Advocacy groups are mobilizing to demand transparency, better detainee conditions, and alternatives to detention. The aim is to curb ICE’s increasing enforcement presence in federal buildings like 26 Federal Plaza through legal challenges and public awareness.
As the protests continue, the focus remains on the conditions within ICE detention facilities and the need for policy changes to ensure the safety and human rights of those detained.
[1] ICE operates a detention facility on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza in New York City. [2] On July 18, 2025, a detainee tried to stab officers and other detainees with scissors at this location. [3] This incident highlights heightened tensions and safety concerns within the facility. [4] There is criticism and legal action against ICE’s courthouse arrest policies and detention practices at this site. [4] A nationwide campaign is active against ICE’s increased arrests and detentions, demanding policy changes and improved detainee conditions.
- The ongoing nationwide protests against ICE have focused on the politics of immigration, specifically the practices of the ICE agency, as seen in the heightened tensions and safety concerns within the ICE detention facility on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza in New York City, including the controversial incident on July 18, 2025, where a detainee attempted to stab officers and other detainees with scissors.
- General-news media outlets have reported on the legal challenges being launched by New York groups against ICE's courthouse arrest policies and detention practices at 26 Federal Plaza, as part of a broader nationwide campaign against ICE's increased arrests and detentions, demanding policy changes and improved detainee conditions, with the aim of curbing ICE's increasing enforcement presence in federal buildings.
