A New York City Council employee was detained by federal immigration officials during a scheduled appointment on Long Island on Monday. City officials have described the incident as government overreach.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated his outrage regarding the worker's arrest, calling it an "assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values." He requested the employee's immediate release.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the arrest, stating the employee is in the U.S. illegally. According to DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, the staffer entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa in 2017, which required departure later that year, and had no legal right to be in the country. DHS also noted an alleged criminal history, including an arrest for assault, but provided no further details. McLaughlin stated that "criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States."
NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin stated the employee was detained during a "routine court appointment" and that DHS provided no other basis for the detainment. Menin indicated the employee had legal authorization to remain in the country until October and described him as a "central staff member working as a data analyst for approximately a year." The council is demanding his return.
Democratic New York Congressman Dan Goldman identified the employee as being of Venezuelan descent and characterized him as a "law-abiding immigrant with work authorization." Goldman asserted there was no indication that anything other than his immigration status led to the arrest. DHS, however, stated the staffer was not authorized to work in the U.S.
The employee has been transferred to a detention center in Manhattan. Congressman Goldman's office has contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and is pushing for the employee's release and an end to what he called an "immigration dragnet."
New York Attorney General Letitia James also called for the staffer's immediate release, stating opposition to "attacks on our city, its public servants, and its residents." New York Gov. Kathy Hochul commented on the situation, saying it "is exactly what happens when immigration enforcement is weaponized" and that detaining individuals during routine appearances "erodes trust, spreads fear, and violates basic principles of fairness."