OAN Staff Blake Wolf
4:41 PM – Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Democrat mayoral candidate and current New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents following allegations that he assaulted an officer and obstructed an arrest by physically interlocking arms with an individual whom authorities were attempting to detain.

Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin explained that Lander was “arrested for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer.”

Prior to the incident, Lander said that he was “observing” immigration court hearings to “accompany” non-citizens out of the building, according to the Associated Press.

Video footage showcases Lander repeatedly demanding to see an arrest warrant as he held onto the detainee, which is when law enforcement officials finally arrested Lander for obstruction.

“You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens,” Lander could be heard in the video. “I’m not obstructing, I am standing right here in the hallway. I asked to see the judicial warrant. … You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens asking for a judicial warrant.”