New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a sitting government official and mayoral candidate was just arrested by masked federal agents at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan.

His “crime”?
Standing next to a dismissed immigrant case.
Asking to see a warrant.
Linking arms with a human being targeted by ICE.

He was charged with obstruction for demanding the agents show legal authority.
This is authoritarianism, in real time.

???? NYMag – Lander Arrested by ICE at Immigration Court
???? The Sun – NYC Comptroller Arrested by ICE
???? The Guardian – Politicians Condemn Arrest

Constitutional Rights Violated

Fourth Amendment – Right to be secure from unreasonable searches and seizures without a judicial warrant
Cornell Law – 4th Amendment

First Amendment – Right to free expression, protest, and petition the government
Cornell Law – 1st Amendment

Due Process Clause (14th Amendment) – Cannot be deprived of liberty without fair legal process
Cornell Law – 14th Amendment

Relevant Legal Cases

Lozano v. City of Hazleton (2010): Immigration enforcement must not violate constitutional protections even at the local level.
Case Summary

U.S. v. Olivares-Rangel (2008): ICE must demonstrate reasonable suspicion and lawful procedure when detaining individuals.
Case PDF

What just happened isn’t just “wrong” it’s illegal and dangerous.

Brad Lander wasn’t resisting.
He wasn’t rioting.
He wasn’t breaking anything.

He was exercising the rights that every American is supposed to have:
- Ask for a warrant
- Stand beside a neighbor
- Question a badge

If the government can arrest an elected official for that, no one is safe.

This is what fascism looks like:

• Mask-wearing agents dragging people out of court
  
• No warrants. No IDs. No oversight.
  
• Political officials arrested for doing the right thing

And don’t forget this didn’t happen in some distant border town.
It happened in Manhattan. At an immigration court. On U.S. soil. In broad daylight.

What You Can Do:

Share this story before it disappears from the news cycle
Demand accountability: call your reps & demand a congressional ICE investigation
Support Make the Road NY and ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project
Organize. Protest. Refuse to stay quiet.

#ThisIsNotNormal
#ICEOutOfCourts
#AuthoritarianCreep
#NoOneIsSafe
#DefendDemocracyNow