Elected Officials Among Dozens Arrested at Manhattan Immigration Facility Protest

NEW YORK — Dozens of protesters, including more than a dozen elected officials, were arrested Thursday during a demonstration outside the Manhattan immigration detention facility at 26 Federal Plaza, as a federal judge extended a court order requiring the government to reform detention conditions. The arrests came as activists and lawmakers pressed for access to inspect holding cells that have been the subject of ongoing litigation over overcrowding, cleanliness and basic amenities. In total, 77 people were detained during the demonstration, which at times drew clashes with federal agents and a heavy police presence around the federal building that houses an immigration court, the FBI’s New York field office and other agencies.

Inside the building, 11 officials were arrested while attempting to enter the 10th floor holding rooms for an inspection they said was mandated by the court order. They were met with barriers and arrests as agents moved to restrain them, while news reporters and photographers captured the moment. The complex was later placed on lockdown after a telephoned bomb threat, authorities said.

The officials had gone to the facility to verify whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was complying with a preliminary injunction issued Wednesday that requires the agency to limit detainee capacity, thoroughly clean cells three times a day, and provide essentials such as soap, towels, toilet paper, toothbrushes and toothpaste, as well as access to confidential, unmonitored legal calls. The coalition organizing the protest said the injunction followed a lawsuit filed on behalf of people held at the Manhattan facility by immigration and civil rights groups. The order marks an attempt by the courts to curb what plaintiffs describe as squalid and unsafe conditions that have persisted for years.

Brad Lander, the city’s comptroller, was among those detained inside the building. After his release, he criticized the lack of access officials have historically been granted and said the court had already found that conditions were cruel and inhumane. “A federal judge has indicated that the federal law is not being followed — the conditions are cruel and inhumane, that ICE is not respecting their rights,” Lander told reporters. He added that no elected official or oversight agency had been allowed in to see the detentions firsthand.

Other detainees included the city’s public advocate, Jumaane Williams; state Sen. Julia Salazar; and City Council member Tiffany Caban. State Sen. Jabari Brisport, who also was detained, described what he saw on the 10th floor as “disgusting and cowardly,” saying immigration officials had used zip ties to lock doors and duct tape to seal cracks to prevent observers from seeing inside. Brisport said the moment underscored what he called a pattern of disregard for detainee rights and public accountability.

Outside the building, dozens of protesters gathered near the entrance used by vans transporting detainees, including faith leaders and advocates. Police arrested many of those protesters, and some carried signs criticizing ICE and the government’s approach to immigration enforcement. A sign carried by demonstrators outside the hall bore a slash through the letters “ICE,” a symbol that has appeared at protests in recent years, though organizers emphasized their aim was to observe and document conditions, not to obstruct operations.

The fight over detention conditions at 26 Federal Plaza comes as a broader set of federal court actions seek to force changes in how detainees are housed and treated. U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan issued the injunction following a temporary restraining order obtained earlier last month after detainees and civil rights groups filed suit alleging unsafe and inhumane conditions. The latest order requires ICE to ensure more space for detainees, to sanitize cells and provide basic supplies, and to permit confidential legal communications without interference. The judge signaled that the injunction would remain in place while litigation proceeds, emphasizing the government’s obligation to provide humane treatment while detainees are in custody.

The episode at 26 Federal Plaza underscores ongoing tensions between civil rights organizations and federal authorities over how detainees are housed and monitored. Officials involved in the protest stressed their duty to observe conditions and report on potential abuses, even as they faced jail time for choosing to publicly confront the administration’s policies. In remarks after his release, Lander urged continued oversight and accountability, highlighting the role of local officials in a federal system that also includes federal judges and civil rights advocates who press for compliance with court orders.

The protest and arrests also coincide with broader debates over immigration policy under the current administration. While some lawmakers argue that criminal justice and border policies must be recalibrated to ensure humane treatment of detainees, others defend ICE operations as necessary to enforce federal immigration law. The events at 26 Federal Plaza are likely to fuel further scrutiny of detention practices and the adequacy of remedies ordered by the courts, with advocates pledging to pursue additional access and transparency as lawsuits proceed.

As the legal process unfolds, the administration has asserted that it is complying with court directives while defending its broader immigration strategy. For those inside the detainment system and their advocates, the central questions remain: Are the conditions safe, sanitary and lawful? Will officials be granted ongoing access to inspect the facilities? And what concrete reforms will emerge from the litigation and any subsequent court orders?

In the hours after the arrests, several officials expressed frustration with the lack of mandated oversight and the ability to confirm compliance with the injunction. Advocates who had organized the protest said the demonstrations would continue until detainee conditions improved and independent monitoring was allowed. The case is expected to move forward in federal court in the coming weeks, with further testimony and filings that may influence how ICE operates in New York and other jurisdictions.