Fox News: New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is headed to trial on federal misdemeanor charges for attempting to inspect conditions at 26 Federal Plaza.
NYC comptroller on trial?
What we know:
Lander was arrested in Sept. after he and other elected officials tried to gain access to detention cells in 26 Federal Plaza.
Prosecutors agreed not to pursue cases against these elected officials, but FOX 5 NY’s political reporter Morgan McKay has confirmed that Lander declined the offer – instead, he will fight the case at a trial.
Lander’s previous arrests
The backstory:
The comptroller was also arrested in June, where he faced now-dropped charges of assaulting an ICE officer.
He had claimed the ICE agents threatened to arrest him if he did not allow them to detain a man facing immigration issues.
Lander said he told the agents he would comply if they explained why the man was being taken or presented a warrant. Instead, he said, they arrested him and took him into custody.
ICE responded to the incident by accusing Lander of assaulting a federal agent and impeding an investigation. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said:
“New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was arrested for assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer. Our heroic ICE law enforcement officers face a 413% increase in assaults against them — it is wrong that politicians seeking higher office undermine law enforcement safety to get a viral moment. No one is above the law, and if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will face consequences.”
Incidents related to 26 Federal Plaza
Timeline:
DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to FOX 5 NY: “26 Federal Plaza is not a detention center. It is a federal building with an ICE law enforcement office inside of it.”
A press release by the DHS stated, “claims there is overcrowding or subprime conditions in ICE facilities are categorically FALSE. All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers.”
Video from the government building, which houses an immigration court, was shared with FOX 5 NY. It showed several people attending to the one man who was on the floor. A doctor appeared to be checking the man’s blood pressure.
