Overview
- New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was arraigned on a class C federal misdemeanor alleging he obstructed the 10th-floor elevator lobby at 26 Federal Plaza during a Sept. 18 action.
- Lander rejected a stay-away deal that other elected officials accepted, opting to force a trial rather than pause his case in exchange for avoiding further arrests on federal property.
- Prosecutors said they will not seek jail time on the charge, which carries a maximum of 30 days, and they were given two weeks to submit evidence.
- Lander’s defense argues the government must prove the lobby’s “usual use,” contending ICE’s activities there fall outside that scope, while federal officials have denied allegations of mistreatment tied to the site.
- After court, Lander criticized the Trump administration’s immigration approach and said he is very seriously considering a run for New York’s 10th Congressional District.