New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested Tuesday outside Manhattan’s immigration court, making him the latest in a string of elected officials detained or forcibly removed amid mounting protests against the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement. Lander’s arrest brings the total number of recently confronted or detained officials to at least five.Brad LanderFor weeks, Lander had been closely monitoring immigration court activity and assisting asylum seekers as they exited court proceedings in Manhattan. On Tuesday, he was filmed linking arms with an individual facing arrest when federal officers intervened. Despite officers asking Lander to step aside, he and other bystanders attempted to block the arrest, leading to a brief scuffle.“Anyone can see from the video that I posed no danger to anyone,” Lander told CNN after his release.Video footage shows Lander refusing to move aside, demanding to see a judicial warrant as officers tried to detain the individual. At one point, a federal officer pressed Lander against a wall and handcuffed him.“You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens. I’m not obstructing. I’m standing right here in the hallway. I asked to see the judicial warrant,” Lander said during the arrest.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued directives since January that allow ICE agents to make arrests in and around courthouses if they have credible information about a targeted individual’s location—even in public areas like court hallways, where a warrant isn’t required.Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, accused Lander on Fox News of “assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer.”Lander criticized the immigration system following his release, highlighting how migrants are often brought to court without legal representation and are unaware they could be arrested even after their cases are dismissed.“I’ll be sleeping in my bed tonight, safe with my family,” Lander told reporters and supporters. “I’m grateful the charges weren’t brought. But if they were, I have a lawyer. I don’t have to fear for my due process rights.”Sen. Alex PadillaDemocratic Senator Alex Padilla of California was also involved in a high-profile incident last week. Padilla was forcefully removed and briefly handcuffed during a Homeland Security press conference in Los Angeles, where Secretary Kristi Noem was addressing anti-ICE protests.Padilla attempted to ask Noem a question mid-briefing when law enforcement swiftly intervened. Videos show officers tackling him to the ground, despite Padilla identifying himself as a U.S. senator.“I was there peacefully,” Padilla said afterward. “I tried to ask a question and was almost immediately forced out and handcuffed. I wasn’t arrested or detained.”Secretary Noem later defended the officers’ response, saying the U.S. Secret Service mistook Padilla for a potential threat. “I wish he had clearly identified himself sooner,” she said.However, she also noted that the two later met in private. “We had a great conversation, exchanged phone numbers, and talked for 10 to 15 minutes about LA operations and DHS activity,” Noem told reporters.Growing ConfrontationsThese incidents are part of a growing pattern where elected officials face arrests or removals for standing in solidarity with immigrants or challenging federal enforcement actions. As the Trump administration continues its strict deportation policy, tensions are rising not only in communities but within the political sphere itself.
