NYC Mayoral Candidate Arrested By ICE At Court Hearing

UPDATE: Brad Lander has been released without charges after being arrested Tuesday morning.

NEW YORK CITY — New York City comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested by ICE at an immigration court Tuesday, according to a spokesperson and reports.

Lander was arrested by ICE agents after he was trying to accompany a person out of a courtroom and the building at 26 Federal Plaza.

The individual Lander was walking out of the courtroom was also arrested.

Videos from reporters and Lander's press secretary show the moment Lander was detained, an agent could be heard telling Lander, “You’re obstructing," as they tried to pull the comptroller away.

"I’m not obstructing, I’m standing right here in the hallway," Lander said as he was being handcuffed.“You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens asking for a judicial warrant."

Following Lander's arrest, a number of elected officials — including Governor Kathy Hochul —traveled to 26 Federal Plaza and called for his immediate release.

"While escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE. This is still developing, and we are monitoring the situation closely," Kat Capossela, a press secretary for Lander, told Patch before Lander's release.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.