Key facts
- Brad Lander, a New York City official, is scheduled to stand trial in federal court.
- Lander was arrested on September 18, 2025, at 26 Federal Plaza, a federal immigration court.
- He and other elected officials attempted to inspect detention rooms following a judge's order on inhumane conditions.
- Lander was issued a ticket for allegedly blocking entrances, foyers, and corridors.
- Federal officials offered to drop the violation if Lander agreed not to protest in federal buildings for six months, which he refused.
New York City official Brad Lander is set to stand trial after his arrest at a federal immigration court on September 18, 2025. Lander, who is also seeking a congressional seat, was taken into custody along with other elected officials at 26 Federal Plaza. The group aimed to inspect detention rooms following a federal judge's ruling that conditions within them were unconstitutional and inhumane.
According to court documents filed by Lander's legal team, the visit was prompted by a preliminary injunction issued by Manhattan federal court judge Lewis Kaplan on September 17, 2025. The injunction mandated improvements to the conditions in the 10th-floor hold rooms at 26 Federal Plaza, where detention times had significantly increased. Lander stated that the group felt it was their responsibility to witness the conditions firsthand.
Upon arrival, the officials were initially denied access to the hold rooms. After agreeing not to disturb the area, they began chanting and requesting entry. An officer then warned them that they were violating the law and protesting illegally, and that they would be arrested if they refused to leave. Shortly after the warning, FPS officers began arresting the elected officials, including Lander, who was ticketed for blocking entrances, foyers, and corridors.
Federal officials later offered to drop the violation in exchange for a six-month ban on protesting inside any federal building. Lander reportedly refused this condition, leading to his scheduled trial.