On June 17, 2025, New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested by ICE agents at an immigration court in Manhattan. Lander was escorting an immigrant defendant when he was detained, allegedly for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer. Lander denies the accusations and has not been formally charged. Federal prosecutors are still investigating.
Lander’s arrest sparked immediate backlash from public officials, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and several fellow mayoral candidates. Critics condemned the arrest as politically motivated and an abuse of power under Trump-era immigration enforcement. Lander vowed to continue defending immigrant rights and New York’s sanctuary city laws.