This past Thursday, over a dozen elected officials were taken into custody during protests at an immigration detention facility in New York City. The protests coincide with a federal judge’s insistence that the government must improve conditions for detainees, extending a court order to that effect.
A total of 77 individuals were detained at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, among them city officials, including the fiscal watchdog, as well as state lawmakers.
This building, which houses the Immigration Court and the New York field office of the FBI, has become central to President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on immigration enforcement, particularly in terms of arrests and detentions.
The protests were led by a coalition of politicians, advocates, and faith leaders. Eleven officials were arrested when they attempted to access a specific room on the 10th floor, which is currently involved in lawsuits alleging overcrowded conditions.
Following their arrests, they were issued summonses and released.
Authorities subsequently secured the building due to reports of a bomb threat.
Officials were present to ensure that U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement agencies adhered to an interim injunction issued the day before.
However, they were prevented from entering the holding room and apprehended while reporters and photographers captured the events unfolding around them.
The arrests occurred as demonstrators staged a sit-in in a hallway, holding placards with “ICE” crossed out.
Federal agents reportedly bound their hands with plastic ties, lined them against the wall, and escorted them through the building’s corridors.
In a statement, Homeland Security Advisor Tricia McLaughlin singled out city director Brad Lander for criticism.
She accused Democratic officials of inciting unrest and misleading the media, asserting that detainees wouldn’t be released until given proper conditions.
Lander had also been arrested in June for a similar protest outside the immigration court, where he locked arms with fellow demonstrators.
Another arrested official, Senator Jabari Blisport, described how immigration officers used zip ties to seal off the holding area and even applied duct tape to obscure visibility.
“What I witnessed on the 10th floor was not just uncomfortable—it felt, frankly, neglectful,” the Brooklyn Democrat remarked, noting that after the staff finished their work, they seemed to laugh about their actions, which he found deeply troubling.
Outside the facility, dozens of additional arrests occurred, involving politicians, supporters, and religious leaders protesting at the entrance of the garage used by VANS, the transport service for detainees.
Among those detained were Jumane Williams, the city’s public advocate, Democratic Senator Julia Salazar, and City Council member Tiffany Kaban.
Lander expressed frustration, saying, “Federal judges have highlighted that laws are being ignored. The conditions detainees face are cruel and inhumane, and ICE does not uphold their rights. Elected officials and watchdogs deserve access to see this.”
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan issued a preliminary injunction mandating that authorities ensure adequate space for detainees. This includes cleaning cells three times a day, providing basic necessities like soap, towels, toilet paper, and accommodations for private legal phone calls.
This injunction came after a temporary restraining order was issued last month, responding to a lawsuit filed by immigrants and civil rights organizations on behalf of individuals held in the Manhattan facility.
The legal filings included allegations that detainees were subjected to unsatisfactory food and overwhelming odors from sweat, urine, and feces.
