On June 17, 2025, New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was detained by federal agents, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), at the federal building at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan. According to multiple reports, Lander was taken into custody for approximately three and a half hours while escorting an illegal immigrant named Edgardo out of an immigration hearing, as part of his volunteer work with New York City ICE Watch to monitor ICE’s courthouse arrests.
Video footage and eyewitnesses confirm Lander linked arms with Edgardo and demanded to see a judicial warrant. ICE agents, along with federal officers from agencies including the FBI and the Treasury Department, were present. ICE was reported to be the lead agency in the arrest.
Federal authorities stated that Lander interfered with the lawful detention of an illegal immigrant, and cited potential violations such as obstruction and impeding federal officers, which fall under 18 U.S.C. § 111. Under federal law, agents are authorized to make arrests without a judicial warrant in public spaces when they have probable cause to believe a federal crime has been committed.
The incident took place in a federal facility, where warrantless arrests are permitted under federal law in certain situations. Lander was released after several hours. As of now, no formal charges have been announced.
ICE had authority to arrest Brad Lander without a judicial warrant because:
Probable Cause: ICE claimed Lander committed a federal crime (obstructing officers, 18 U.S.C. § 111) by physically interfering with their detention of an immigrant, justifying a warrantless arrest in public.
Public Space: The arrest occurred in a courthouse, where warrant requirements are relaxed for probable cause.
Federal Authority: As federal agents, ICE can arrest anyone, including U.S. citizens, for federal offenses without a judicial warrant if probable cause exists.