More than a dozen elected officials were taken into custody Thursday during a protest at a New York City immigration holding facility. This comes after a federal judge recently extended a court order, demanding improvements in how the government treats those being detained.
Among the 77 people detained were city officials and state lawmakers, all part of a demonstration at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan.
This particular government building, which houses an immigration court and the FBI’s New York office, has become a focal point for protests and detentions, especially given the ongoing discussions around immigration enforcement.
According to reports, eleven officials were arrested inside the building. They were trying to inspect holding rooms on the 10th floor, the very rooms at the center of a legal dispute over alleged poor conditions and overcrowding. They were later released with summonses.
The officials stated they were there to check if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was following a preliminary order issued recently. This order requires the agency to limit the number of people held, ensure cleanliness, and provide basic necessities like sleeping mats.
However, federal agents reportedly prevented them from entering the holding rooms and arrested them while reporters and photographers were present. The arrests occurred as the officials were staging a sit-in in the hallway, gathered around a sign opposing ICE.
Homeland Security officials issued a statement singling out the city’s comptroller, accusing him of arriving “unannounced with agitators and media” and demanding the release of detainees.
Another politician arrested, a state senator, claimed that immigration officials used zip ties to secure the holding areas and duct tape to cover any openings, preventing anyone from seeing inside.
Outside the building, police arrested dozens of people, including politicians, advocates, and religious leaders. They were protesting in front of a garage entrance often used to transport immigrants to and from the detention facility.
Other officials detained included the city’s public advocate, another state senator, and a city council member.
One official stated to reporters after his release that a federal judge indicated that federal law was not being followed, stating that the conditions are cruel and inhumane, and that ICE is not respecting their rights.
A U.S. District Judge issued a preliminary order that the agency must provide adequate space for detainees; clean the cells thoroughly three times a day; and provide essential items such as soap, towels, toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and feminine products. The order also required accommodations for private legal phone calls.
The legal actions followed a lawsuit filed by immigration and civil rights organizations on behalf of those held at the Manhattan facility.
In court documents, detainees described inedible food and a terrible smell of sweat, urine, and feces, partly due to open toilets in the rooms.
