Overview
- Lander testified Wednesday that he did not block an elevator during the Sept. 18, 2025 protest at 26 Federal Plaza and pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor obstruction charge.
- Prosecutors told the judge the elevator near Lander never opened while he sat on the floor and said they would not seek jail time if he is convicted.
- Lander rejected a plea offer that would have barred protests at federal buildings and said he brought the case to trial to question ICE officers and call three witnesses under oath.
- The Sept. 18 arrest involved about 75 protesters, including roughly a dozen elected officials who tried to inspect 10th-floor holding rooms after reports of crowded and squalid conditions.
- The case sits against recent court actions narrowing ICE arrests at Manhattan immigration courts and could affect public oversight of ICE practices as Lander continues his campaign for New York’s 10th Congressional District.