BREAKING: Mass Arrests of NYC Elected Officials
Introduction to the Incident
More than a dozen city and state elected officials were arrested by federal agents on Thursday afternoon in and around federal immigration courts in Lower Manhattan.
City Comptroller Brad Lander and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams were among those arrested.
The Arrests
Lander was arrested by Department of Homeland Security agents, along with a group of nine other elected officials, after sitting in a hallway with a banner outside the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza lockup, where DHS has been holding undocumented immigrants it has detained. The officials unfurled the banner after demanding access to the holding cells and being forcefully denied entry by DHS agents.
City Comptroller Brad Lander and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams were among a dozen city and state elected officials who federal agents arrested on Thursday afternoon in and around federal immigration courts in Lower Manhattan.Photo by Dean Moses
List of Arrested Officials
According to Lander’s office, the feds also arrested state Sens. Julia Salazar (D-Brooklyn) and Jabari Birsport (D-Brooklyn) as well as Assembly Members Marcela Mitaynes (D-Brooklyn), Tony Simone (D-Manhattan), Jessica González-Rojas (D-Queens), Clare Valdez (D-Queens), Robert Carroll (D-Brooklyn), Emily Gallagher (D-Brooklyn), and Steven Raga (D-Queens).
Outside Arrests
Another group of elected officials — which included Williams — and activists were arrested by NYPD officers outside the facility for attempting to block its driveway. That group included City Council Members Tiffany Caban (D-Queens) and Sandy Nurse (D-Brooklyn) and Assembly Member Phara Souffant Forrest (D-Brooklyn).
Brooklyn state Sen. Julia Salazar (foreground) is handcuffed.Photo by Dean Moses
Statement from Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
In a statement released by his office, Williams said that he and his colleagues had acted “in a nonviolent civil disobedience to demand oversight of ICE’s inhumane detention practices.”
“Even under this creeping authoritarianism regime, I expect to be released today to go home to my family, but the people we’re fighting for don’t have that privilege, as ICE disappears, and deports them,” Williams said. “Together with the dozens of New Yorkers getting arrested today, I call for all levels of government to do what they can to support our immigrant communities and vulnerable, marginalized populations. That means passing legislation strengthening protections on the state and local level, and rejecting any coordination with or concession to Donald Trump and his paramilitary forces in our city.”
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, the second highest-ranking citywide elected official, was arrested at the Sept. 18 protest.Photo by Dean Moses
Previous Arrests
It is the second time Lander has been arrested at immigration court in Federal Plaza; ICE agents roughly accosted him back in June as he sought to inquire about the case of a detained immigrant.
Conclusion
The arrests of these NYC elected officials highlight the ongoing tensions between local government and federal immigration authorities. The actions taken by Lander, Williams, and their colleagues are a testament to their commitment to the rights and dignity of immigrant communities. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen what impact these arrests will have on the broader conversation around immigration policy in the United States.
FAQs
- Q: Who were the elected officials arrested?
A: City Comptroller Brad Lander, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and over a dozen other city and state elected officials were! arrested. - Q: Why were they arrested?
A: They were arrested for participating in a nonviolent civil disobedience to demand oversight of ICE’s detention practices and to support immigrant communities. - Q: Where did the arrests take place?
A: The arrests occurred in and around federal immigration courts in Lower Manhattan. - Q: What were the officials demanding?
A: They were demanding access to the holding cells where undocumented immigrants are detained and calling for legislation to strengthen protections for immigrant communities. - Q: Is this the first time such arrests have happened?
A: No, City Comptroller Brad Lander was previously arrested at the same location in June while inquiring about a detained immigrant’s case.
