A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
A New York City politician was arrested by federal agents and detained for several hours yesterday as he tried to escort a man out of a routine immigration hearing who immigration agents wanted to arrest. Reporter Gwynne Hogan with a local news website, The City, has more.
GWYNNE HOGAN: Brad Lander is New York City's comptroller - or fiscal watchdog - who is also running for mayor. The Democratic primary is fast approaching next week. And yesterday, when Lander went to escort immigrants safely out of court, he himself was taken into custody. Lander had locked arms with a Venezuelan man who was trying to leave an immigration courtroom. The two were surrounded by masked federal agents who'd been waiting in the hallway.
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BRAD LANDER: Do you have a judicial warrant?
HOGAN: Lander asked repeatedly to see the agent's arrest warrant, refusing to let go of the man's arm.
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LANDER: I will let go when you show me the judicial warrant. Where is it?
HOGAN: Eventually, federal agents overpowered the two men and detained them both. In a statement, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, quote, "Lander was arrested for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer," unquote. But hours later, Lander was released without charges. He told a crowd of supporters gathered outside he was able to return to his family that night, but the man ICE detained was not so lucky.
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LANDER: He has been stripped of his due process rights...
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: That's right.
LANDER: ...In a country that is supposed to be founded on equal justice under law.
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HOGAN: Lander is the latest elected official to face arrest during confrontations over President Trump's aggressive immigration policies. But Lander said he was undeterred and promised to accompany more people at immigration courts soon.
For NPR News, I'm Gwynne Hogan in New York.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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