A federal judge decided on Thursday to acquit former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander of a federal misdemeanor charge filed over his involvement in an anti-ICE protest at a Manhattan immigration court last year.U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Ricardo declared the defendant, who was accused of obstructing an elevator and federal law enforcement at the Federal Plaza Immigration Court in New York, not guilty.In September, Lander and about a dozen other politicians protested Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agency had been holding detainees at its office inside the courthouse building. Lander was present to inspect the cells in which ICE officers were keeping immigrants. He was one of 11 elected officials arrested.
The incident was separate from a June 2025 protest at the same immigration court building, where Lander was briefly arrested after he linked arms with an immigrant whom ICE officers sought to detain. He was eventually released without charges.
At the time, Lander served as New York City’s comptroller and was running for mayor. He is now running in the June 23 Democratic primary for New York’s 10th Congressional District, currently represented by Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY). Goldman is seeking reelection for a third term.
