ISTANBUL

New York City mayoral candidate Brad Lander was released without charges Tuesday after being taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Lander was held at Federal Plaza, where the New York ICE field office is located, for nearly four hours before his release. He left the building accompanied by his wife and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who joined supporters and several mayoral candidates gathered outside after news of his arrest spread.

“I’m gonna sleep in my bed tonight, safe with my family,” Lander told reporters.

“I’m grateful to hear that the charges are not being brought, but if they are, I’ve got a lawyer. I don’t have to worry about my due process rights,” he added.

After his release, Lander said he sought to draw attention to the many migrants in New York City who appear at court hearings only to be arrested by federal agents after their cases are dismissed.

He added that many migrants are being denied their due process rights, often attending court without legal representation and unaware they could be taken into custody after their hearings.

Lander, who is also the New York City Comptroller and a progressive candidate advocating for police reform, was escorting a detainee out of immigration court when he was apprehended.

His arrest came as ICE agents are conducting immigration raids across the US as part of President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration.

ICE agents have been detaining migrants at the federal courthouse in Manhattan for weeks, with Lander one of the more prominent officials observing immigration proceedings.

The ICE raids have led to widespread protests across the US, most notably in the state of California, where Trump has deployed thousands of National Guard troops and US Marines to assist with federal immigration officials in Los Angeles.