Elected Officials Lead Protest at NY Immigration Court, Dozens Arrested

A host of elected officials led a sit-in at a New York immigration court this afternoon. They wound up blocking access for about an hour before all of them were arrested. There is a lot of video of this event so I’m not sure where to begin. Let’s just start with this clip of Assemblymember Robert Carroll explaining why he is there.

My colleagues and I are inside 26 federal plaza to demand to observe conditions of abducted refugees. We cannot allow ICE to abduct our neighbors. pic.twitter.com/l93va1YpDg

— Assemblymember Robert Carroll (@Bobby4Brooklyn) September 18, 2025

He’s standing up for “immigrant New Yorker’s rights” but it’s a safe bet many of the people being processed at this site aren’t Americans and aren’t here legally. What he’s really standing up for are illegal immigrants who have no right to be here. In fact, in many cases he’s standing up for criminal illegal immigrants.

NYC Comptroller Brad Lander was also present along with a bunch of other elected officals.

Happening NOW: New Yorkers Against ICE!

We are at 26 Federal Plaza, where ICE abducts immigrant New Yorkers, to demand access to the 10th floor and block ICE vans from leaving.

NYers refuse to stand by while ICE abducts our neighbors. Neither should our leaders. #ICEoutofNY pic.twitter.com/gmSahHkGbI

— Brad Lander (@bradlander) September 18, 2025

There were really two parts to this protest. First, a larger group of people outside were trying to block the exits to prevent vehicles from coming in and out of the garage.

HAPPENING NOW🚨Immigrant rights protesters in New York are blocking the garage where ICE leaves to transport immigrants detained by the agency.
Local elected officials and religious leaders are engaging in the protest. pic.twitter.com/Awt6UVYAZZ

— Jose Olivares (@jlosc9) September 18, 2025

Meanwhile, a smaller group of elected officials headed upstairs and demanded to be let into the facility so they could observe the conditions. When ICE refused they held a sit-in in the hallway.

NEW: Per multiple ICE sources, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander & other politicians & protesters are currently trying to get into the 10th floor ICE office & holding cells at 26 Federal Plaza in NYC, while other protesters are blocking ICE vans from leaving the facility downstairs.… pic.twitter.com/v9YIufWDZ3

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) September 18, 2025

Here they all are.

What’s happening at 26 Federal Plaza is deplorable — ICE is starving people, denying them medical care, and cramming them into cage-like conditions.

1/4 pic.twitter.com/z6SzJZluTB

— Assemblymember Steven Raga (@RagaForQueens) September 18, 2025

And after half an hour or so, authorities started making arrests. This was obviously the point of this whole stunt. Everyone there wanted to get arrested.

The 11 elected officials, state legislators plus Lander, ask why they can’t access the holding space on the 10th Floor at 26 Federal Plaza if there’s nothing to hide. All were cuffed and removed. pic.twitter.com/PUugTELf5y

— Emily Ngo (@emilyngo) September 18, 2025

There was some singing and shouting but it was over in a few minutes.

HAPPENING NOW: 11 lawmakers have been arrested by DHS on the tenth floor of 26 Federal Plaza after trying to gain access for over an hour. pic.twitter.com/wgApTt5bo7

— Documented (@Documentedny) September 18, 2025

JUST NOW: NYC Comptroller @bradlander was arrested by DHS police a SECOND time at 26 Federal Plaza.

Lander refused to leave the 10th floor until he was allowed to inspect ICE holding cells there.

He was arrested with 10 other state elected officials. pic.twitter.com/0BiYoXwVgW

— Arya Sundaram (@arya_sundaram) September 18, 2025

Here’s Brad Lander’s account, plus a list of elected officials who got arrested.

“We went to the 10th floor. We patiently and calmly at first asked to be allowed back into the area where they are holding people,” Lander said. “Not only would they not let us in, they duct-taped and wire-tied the door…When they asked us to leave, we said we would not leave until we were allowed to see the conditions that our neighbors are being cruelly and lawlessly detained in, and when they would not allow us in. We made clear we weren’t leaving, and we were then arrested and detained.”

According to Lander’s office, the feds also arrested state Sens. Julia Salazar (D-Brooklyn), Jabari Brisport (D-Brooklyn), and Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx) 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).

Meanwhile, the activists outside were also getting cuffed and arrested.

>@tiffany_caban arrested outside of 26 Federal Plaza along with dozens of other protesters—including faith leaders and other elected officials—demanding ICE get out of NYC pic.twitter.com/P29Zicj6jw

— Hell Gate *subscribe today!* (@HellGateNY) September 18, 2025

Here they are in a long line headed to booking.

About 60+ protesters and 11 elected officials were arrested today at 26 federal plaza during a demonstration blocking the exit for ICE vehicles @marcelaforny @brandlander. NYPD out in force 4:1, breaking protest guidelines set by 2020 lawsuit. pic.twitter.com/PROeH19QSW

— Josh Pacheco (they/them) (@JP_OTG) September 18, 2025

The electeed officials upstairs were given a federal summons and released. Here they are celebrating themselves.

About 60+ protesters and 11 elected officials were arrested today at 26 federal plaza during a demonstration blocking the exit for ICE vehicles @marcelaforny @brandlander. NYPD out in force 4:1, breaking protest guidelines set by 2020 lawsuit. pic.twitter.com/PROeH19QSW

— Josh Pacheco (they/them) (@JP_OTG) September 18, 2025

And posing for the cameras. This is the 2nd time Brad Lander was arrested at this site.

State Senator Julia Salazar, NY city comptroller Brad Lander and New York State representative Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas holding their federal summons after being arrested inside the federal building holding Ice detainees pic.twitter.com/z2aiTJOVmm

— Jose Olivares (@jlosc9) September 18, 2025

It’s not clear how many were arrested in all, somewhere between 60 and 70 appears to be the consensus.

State Senator Julia Salazar, NY city comptroller Brad Lander and New York State representative Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas holding their federal summons after being arrested inside the federal building holding Ice detainees pic.twitter.com/z2aiTJOVmm

— Jose Olivares (@jlosc9) September 18, 2025

Bill Melugin points out some of the crimes committed by the aliens detained on the 10th floor.

NEW: Per ICE these are some of the crimes committed by aliens detained on the 10th floor:

– A confirmed MS-13 member convicted of criminal possession of a weapon and DUI
– An illegal alien with 2kg of fentanyl
– Illegal alien convicted of criminal possession of a gun
– An…

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) September 18, 2025

– A confirmed MS-13 member convicted of criminal possession of a weapon and DUI

– An illegal alien with 2kg of fentanyl

– Illegal alien convicted of criminal possession of a gun

– An illegal alien with a final order of removal who was arrested for flying drones near the white house multiple times

– An illegal alien convicted of drug trafficking in Switzerland

All of these leftist Democrats are eager to have these folks back on the streets.

Editor’s Note: Democrat politicians and their radical supporters will do everything they can to interfere with and threaten ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws.

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