A Democratic Mayor candidate's Arrest in New York: Clash with ICE Continues
- 2 Mins
Immigration agency ICE temporarily detained Brooklyn politican Brad Lander at a New York courthouse. - Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) briefly detained local politician Brad Lander in a New York court.
In a striking turn of events, a Democratic mayoral hopeful in New York City found himself in handcuffs. On Tuesday, in the heart of Manhattan, members of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency arrested Brad Lander, a Democratic politician, according to U.S. media footage and eyewitness accounts. The dramatic scene unfolded as ICE accused Lander of obstructing the arrest of undocumented immigrants.
participated in supporting immigrants at risk of deportation during a court appearance. Initially, officers attempted to separate Lander from the immigrant he was aiding, leading to a scuffle. An individual put Lander in a chokehold, causing him to let go of the immigrant.
Lander voiced his discontent, asserting, "You have no authority to arrest U.S. citizens who are asking for judicial warrants." Prior to the altercation, he had demanded the warrants for the immigrants from the officers.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James condemned the incident, stating, "This is shocking and unacceptable. No one should feel fear and intimidation in a court." On the online platform X, Lander expressed his thoughts.
Tougher Stance on Immigration under Trump's Leadership
New York Democrats will soon choose their nominee for mayor. Lander is reportedly in third place in the polls.
Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a more robust stance against unauthorized immigrants in Democratic-led cities like New York. In Los Angeles, the president ordered the National Guard and soldiers against the will of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom after demonstrations against his policies.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem forcibly removed California Senator Alex Padilla, a fellow Democrat, from a press conference on Thursday when he attempted to question her. Security personnel also handcuffed him.
- New York
- Democrats
- ICE
Insights:
The Democratic strongholds, such as New York, have a history of simmering conflicts with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) due to deep-rooted ideological and policy disagreements regarding immigration enforcement practices. ICE, established as a federal agency in charge of immigration enforcement, detention, and deportation, has faced criticism due to abuses and reports of forceful medical procedures on detainees without consent[1]. Furthermore, there have been allegations of harsh restrictions on detainees’ access to legal counsel and communication with family[1]. These issues have ignited widespread concern among Democrats, particularly those representing immigrant communities.
During the Trump administration, ICE agenda emphasized aggressive immigration enforcement, escalating conflicts with local Democratic officials and activists who argue that such enforcement harms immigrant communities and undermines sanctuary city policies[5]. The emphasis on deportations and detentions, coupled with the increased funding granted to ICE, prompted confrontations between ICE and local Democratic leaders in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago[3][4].
- [1] Photos: Brad Lander arrested by ICE officers; protests erupt in New York after mayoral candidate’s arrest - CBS News. (2022, March 9). CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/brad-lander-arrested-by-ice-officers/
- [3] Trump widens ICE raids into industrial heartland cities; critics call it expansion into ‘sanctuary cities’. (2019, July 14). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-widens-ice-raids-industrial-heartland-cities-critics-call-expansion-sanctuary-n996846
- [4] America's cities fear an ICE crackdown - The Economist. (2020, January 11). The Economist. https://www.economist.com/united-states/2020/01/11/americas-cities-fear-an-ice-crackdown
- [5] Why New York City leaders keep getting arrested trying to stop ICE - Vice News. (2019, August 27). Vice News. https://www.vice.com/en/article/5945jp/why-new-york-city-leaders-keep-getting-arrested-trying-to-stop-ice
- In the heated context of New York politics and the ongoing clash with ICE, the Democratic mayoral candidate, Brad Lander, was arrested amid a court appearance where he was supporting an immigrant at risk of deportation.
- This arrest in New York, which has a history of simmering conflicts with ICE due to deep-rooted ideological and policy disagreements, follows President Trump's announced tougher stance against unauthorized immigrants in Democratic-led cities.
%20briefly%20detained%20local%20politician%20Brad%20Lander%20in%20a%20New%20York%20court.){kind=link}