A New York judge ruled Thursday that congressional hopeful Brad Lander is not guilty of misdemeanor charges against him related to a September inspection attempt at an immigration holding facility in Manhattan.
“I feel genuinely moved today by the rule of law — by the excellent legal counsel I had, by the thoughtful consideration by the judge, and by the simple knowledge that I could enter and leave the court safely,” Lander, a close political ally of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, said at a news conference after the hearing.
“It’s a blessing we don’t always appreciate, and one that is being utterly denied to our immigrant neighbors by Trump and ICE.”
The one-day bench trial took place in New York City on Wednesday. Lander was accused of unreasonably obstructing the usual use of the elevator lobby at 26 Federal Plaza.
Lander, along with 75 others — including nearly a dozen other elected officials — were arrested at 26 Federal Plaza in downtown Manhattan as they attempted to inspect the living conditions for those being held in immigration detention in the building.
The group attempted the inspection after a New York federal judge ordered that the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement must improve the conditions for immigrants being held in the city.
“All we want at 26 Federal Plaza is for everybody facing removal proceedings by our government to have the same access to the rule of law as I had in this trial. I will keep showing up to protect our immigrant neighbors and insist that the rule of law apply to everyone,” Lander added on Thursday.
Lander denied a plea deal and requested to proceed to trial over the charges; he said in a November statement.
“It is important to keep standing up and fighting back,” Lander said at a news conference ahead of the trial on Wednesday. “That’s what tens of thousands of people around the country are doing today.”
“What’s most important is that we keep showing up and bearing witness,” Lander continued.
The former New York City comptroller was also taken into custody last June in connection with a different incident at a federal courthouse in the city. He said at the time that he was there to act as an advocate for those in immigration detention.
Lander was arrested and accused of “assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer,” DHS said in a social media post at the time.
When he was released, Lander denied assaulting law enforcement.
Lander, the former New York City comptroller who lost his bid for mayor last year, is now hoping to represent New York’s 10th congressional district in the House of Representatives.
