MANHATTAN, NEW YORK – New York City Comptroller and former Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander pleaded not guilty Friday in federal court to a misdemeanor charge stemming from a September civil disobedience protest against ICE operations at a Manhattan immigration facility.
Lander was arrested alongside more than a dozen city and state officials during a demonstration at 26 Federal Plaza, where ICE conducts arrests of immigrants attending check-ins, asylum hearings, or removal proceedings. The group, which included New York State Senators Jabari Brisport, Julia Salazar, and Gustavo Rivera, as well as several Assembly members, attempted to access the building’s 10th floor, a space used as a temporary detention area for immigrants, when federal agents detained them.
During his arraignment, Lander argued that the federal violation—“unreasonably obstructing the usual use” of federal property—does not constitute a crime. He told reporters that the 10th floor is “not usually used as a detention facility” and criticized ICE’s tactics of separating families, detaining individuals without warrants, and making detainees sleep on the floor.
The charge carries a potential penalty of up to 30 days in jail, but prosecutors indicated they are not seeking incarceration. Lander now faces up to five years of probation, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5,000. He was released without bond after entering his plea.
Lander’s legal team plans to pursue discovery to demonstrate that ICE’s activities do not constitute the building’s “usual use.” Lander emphasized the importance of challenging ICE’s practices and exposing them publicly.
This is not Lander’s first encounter with federal authorities at 26 Federal Plaza. Earlier this year, he was arrested while attempting to escort someone through a crowd of ICE agents following a court hearing in June. Lander finished third in the 2025 Democratic mayoral primaries and is reportedly considering a congressional run in New York’s 10th District. Meanwhile, detainees at the facility have recently sought to hold the Department of Homeland Security in civil contempt over ongoing conditions at the building.