amNewYork was denied access to United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem\u2019s Lower Manhattan press conference on Thursday, following months of detailed coverage of ICE in the Big Apple, as even Public Advocate Jumaane Williams was met with police for protesting the snub.<\/p>\n
Photo by Dean Moses<\/p>\n
Was it something we wrote? amNewYork was curiously denied access to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem\u2019s press conference in Lower Manhattan on Thursday morning, despite numerous other journalistic outlets covering the Big Apple being granted access.<\/p>\n
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams was also turned away when he made an effort to not only attend the press conference himself, but also have this outlet accompany him.<\/p>\n
The Department of Homeland Security refused to explain its reasons for denying amNewYork access to the Jan. 8 press conference, save for a DHS representative claiming that a credentialed reporter \u201ccould not be accommodated.\u201d<\/p>\n
The snub might have something to do with amNewYork\u2019s dogged coverage of ICE operations at 26 Federal Plaza over the last several months. As reported, masked ICE agents have spent months detaining immigrants, many of whom have no criminal records, as they appeared for court-mandated hearings. Much of amNewYork\u2019s coverage has focused on family separations, with reporters bearing witness to fathers and husbands being pulled away by agents from families and taken to detention centers.<\/p>\n
On Sept. 30, 2025, this reporter was assaulted by two ICE agents who pushed him out of a public elevator while they moved to detain a woman. Two other photojournalists for other outlets were assaulted and injured by ICE agents.
\nIn response, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, defended the officers, claiming they were \u201cswarmed by agitators and members of the press\u201d while attempting to arrest \u201can illegal alien from Peru.\u201d That description, however, was inaccurate according to those who witnessed the incident: only credentialed members of the press, attorneys, court staff, and court observers were present.<\/p>\n
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams also attempted to attend the briefing but was immediately turned away by security staff.
\n\u201cAnyone who comes into our building must register. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is our tenant, and you must speak to them. It\u2019s called security,\u201d a guard stated.
\n\u201cI know the definition of security,\u201d Williams responded. \u201cHow do I get in contact with them?\u201d
\n\u201cGoogle it,\u201d the staff member snapped.
\nWilliams displayed a document on his cellphone to the officials on hand, which invited members of the media to attend the conference.
\n\u201cThe question I have is about the media. I understand why I\u2019m not allowed in, but they put a press release out for the media. This gentleman came on time with his credentials,\u201d Williams said, referring to amNewYork.<\/p>\n
The public advocate \u2014 the second-highest citywide elected official, behind only Mayor Zohran Mamdani \u2014 was told that another staff member would come and speak with him. Instead, Port Authority Police arrived and demanded that he leave the building. Williams spoke with amNewYork following the incident.
\n\u201cI and some other folks tried to go to the press conference of Kristi Noem, we weren\u2019t allowed to go up. I had another question that I thought was more important of why a reporter was not allowed to go up, and they didn\u2019t have a real answer for that,\u201d Williams said. \u201cThat concerns me because it was a media advisory sent to the media.\u201d<\/p>\n
The denial of access to the press conference and the subsequent treatment of Public Advocate Jumaane Williams raise concerns about the transparency and accountability of the Department of Homeland Security. The incident highlights the importance of a free press in holding those in power accountable and the need for government agencies to respect the rights of journalists to report on important issues.<\/p>\n
Q: Why was amNewYork denied access to the press conference?
\nA: The Department of Homeland Security refused to explain its reasons, claiming that a credentialed reporter \u201ccould not be accommodated.\u201d
\nQ: What was the possible reason for the snub?
\nA: The snub might have been due to amNewYork\u2019s coverage of ICE operations at 26 Federal Plaza.
\nQ: What happened to Public Advocate Jumaane Williams when he tried to attend the briefing?
\nA: He was turned away by security staff and later told to leave the building by Port Authority Police.
\nQ: What was Williams’ concern about the incident?
\nA: He was concerned about the lack of transparency and accountability of the Department of Homeland Security, and the fact that a media advisory was sent out but a reporter was still denied access.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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