Brad Lander, comptroller of New York City and a Democratic mayoral candidate, was detained by federal immigration officers on Tuesday at immigration court in Lower Manhattan.
Dora Pekec, communications director for Lander’s mayoral campaign, told JNS that the city comptroller was arrested while “escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza.”
“Brad was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE,” she said. “This is still developing, and we are monitoring the situation closely.”
Lander, who is Jewish, can be seen being detained by several immigration officers in a post shared on the comptroller’s X account by his wife.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also running in the Democratic primary set for June 24, condemned Lander’s detention in a statement shared with JNS.
“This is the latest example of the extreme thuggery of Trump’s ICE out of control,” he said. “One can only imagine the fear families across our country feel when confronted with ICE. Fear of separation, fear of being taken from their schools, fear of being detained without just cause.”
ICE raids across New York City must stop immediately, according to Cuomo.
“This kind of conduct is the direct result of Mayor Eric Adams handing the keys of our great city over to Donald Trump,” he said. “Comptroller Brad Lander was doing absolutely nothing wrong when he was illegally detained, and he must be released now.”
