New York — Brad Lander, New York City’s chief financial officer, who was arrested two months ago protesting conditions at an immigration detention center, chose Tuesday to stand trial on a misdemeanor obstruction charge rather than accept a deal that would make the case disappear within six months.
“I want a prosecution,” said Lander, the city comptroller and ally of the mayor-elect. Zahran Mamdani.
He spoke after leaving the federal courthouse in Manhattan, where he was waiting to hear what action authorities would take regarding his September 18 protest along with several lawmakers. He pledged to continue protesting the Trump administration Immigration campaign He said the trial would “shed light” on what federal authorities were doing.
This is not the first time Lander, a liberal Democrat, has done so He ran for mayor This year, he was arrested over the case. He was detained in June in Manhattan immigration court after he linked his arms to a person who authorities were trying to arrest. The arrest raised the star power of the moderate politician known for his technocratic style.
He and Mamdani The Crosses endorsed each other in the final weeks of the primaries, and Lander is now rumored to be considering a run for Congress.
Lander was identified by Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin in a statement after his arrest. She described him as “yet another sanctuary politician pulling a stunt trying to get his 15 minutes of fame while putting DHS employees and detainees at risk,” referring to so-called sanctuary policies that limit cooperation between local authorities and immigration agents in a handful of jurisdictions nationwide.
A spokesman for federal prosecutors declined to comment.
Lander was among 11 officials who were arrested and issued subpoenas before being released after they attempted to search detention rooms on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, which houses the immigration court, the FBI’s New York field office and other federal offices.
The building has become a focal point amid ongoing federal immigration operations, announced by the president Donald Trump He says it’s necessary to fight what he calls runaway crime.
Officials said they wanted to know if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was complying with the judge’s ruling requiring the agency to limit its capacity, ensure cleanliness and provide sleeping mats, among other remedies. Some other officials have accepted the deferred plea deal.
The charging document against Lander accused him of “blocking entrances, lobbies and corridors” in the building. He said he planned to return to the facility later this week, along with others, to continue the protests.
Accepting the deal would have dropped the obstruction charge if he had not committed a crime on federal property for six months. He added that this charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 days in prison.