An employee of the New York City Council was detained by federal immigration officials Monday during a routine court appointment on Long Island, according to city officials.
Council Speaker Julie Menin said the staffer was picked up by ICE on Monday afternoon during an appointment in Bethpage, New York, and was taken to the federal detention facility on Varick Street in Manhattan. The man is of Venezuelan descent and reportedly had legal authorization to be in the country through October of 2026, she said late Monday.
“We are doing everything we can to secure his immediate release, and we demand swift and transparent action by the federal government on this apparent overreach,” the speaker said in a statement.
Menin held an “emergency” news conference at City Hall, joined by Rep. Dan Goldman and a number of council colleagues.
Officials within the Department of Homeland Security, the speaker said, confirmed the staffer was taken during the court appointment but “provided no other basis for his detainment.”
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was “outraged” by the federal action.
“This is an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values. I am calling for his immediate release and will continue to monitor the situation,” the mayor posted on X.
Menin said the council staffer was offered one phone call and chose to ring the council’s HR department for help.
“Despite every indication that he was doing everything the right way, he still found himself a victim of egregious government overreach,” Menin said at the press briefing. “These escalations raise serious concerns about overreach, about the use of excessive force and about the lack of accountability.”
“ICE is going after New York city public employees. They are going after our neighbors,” Goldman said. “They are going after the easiest prey they can find.”
The speaker did not disclose further details about the role of the staffer.
