NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Eleven Democratic elected officials were arrested Thursday in New York City after demanding access to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention cells. The arrests came during a protest at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, where immigration advocates have long raised concerns about poor conditions inside.
The protest followed a federal judge’s order requiring ICE to improve treatment of detainees. U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday that mandated stricter rules. ICE must now limit overcrowding, clean the cells three times daily, and provide soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, toilet paper, and feminine products. The order also requires detainees to have access to sleeping mats and confidential legal phone calls.
The officials said they attempted to inspect the holding rooms on the 10th floor but were denied entry. Agents then arrested them as they staged a sit-in outside the cells.
Those arrested included New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, state Sen. Jabari Brisport, state Sen. Julia Salazar, and City Council Member Tiffany Caban. They were among 77 people detained during the protest, which also included advocates and faith leaders.
The arrests unfolded as reporters and photographers looked on. Agents tied the officials’ hands with plastic restraints and led them away.
Brisport later said he saw ICE officials lock the holding rooms with zip ties and cover cracks with duct tape to block visibility. “What I saw on the 10th floor today was both disgusting and cowardly,” the Brooklyn lawmaker said. He added that agents laughed about their actions.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized the protest. She accused Comptroller Lander of disrupting federal operations for political gain. “Another day, another sanctuary politician pulling a stunt in an attempt to get their 15 minutes of fame,” McLaughlin said. She added that his actions endangered both law enforcement and detainees.
Lander defended the demonstration. “A federal judge has indicated that the federal law is not being followed — the conditions are cruel and inhumane,” he said after his release. “No elected official or other oversight agency has been allowed in to see it.”
The judge’s order came after immigration and civil rights groups filed a lawsuit. Detainees at the Manhattan facility reported inedible food, which they described as “slop.” They also complained of foul odors from sweat, urine, and feces, made worse by open toilets in overcrowded cells.
The court found that ICE was failing to meet basic health and safety standards. The injunction requires compliance while the case continues.
The protest at Federal Plaza grew tense when police also arrested dozens outside the building. Demonstrators blocked a garage entrance used to transport detainees. Later, officials locked down the building after a telephoned bomb threat.
Despite the disruption, advocates said the arrests highlighted a serious problem. They argued that federal authorities must comply with the judge’s ruling to ensure humane conditions for detainees.
The arrests in Manhattan mark the latest clash between Democratic leaders and federal immigration authorities. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration made Federal Plaza a frequent protest site in recent years. Activists say the facility has become a symbol of harsh enforcement policies.
City leaders vowed to keep pressing for oversight. “We are not going to stop demanding humane treatment,” said Public Advocate Williams. “People’s rights are being violated, and we cannot look away.”
The case continues in federal court as ICE faces growing scrutiny over its detention practices.
