(The Center Square) — New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and other New York Democrats are demanding the release of a City Council employee who was detained by federal agents at a recent immigration court hearing.
Menin said the employee, a Venezuelan man who wasn’t identified, was detained Monday by federal immigration officials in Nassau County during a “routine” appointment. She claimed he had legal authorization to remain in the country until October, despite claims by federal authorities he had overstayed his 2017 tourist visa and lacked work authorization.
“We are doing everything we can to secure his immediate release, and we demand swift and transparent action by the federal government on this apparent overreach,” she said in a statement.
In a statement, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended the man’s detainment on alleged immigration violations, saying he entered the U.S. in 2017 on a tourist visa that required him to leave by Oct. 22 that year. He lacks federal work authorization, she said.
“Under Secretary Noem, criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States,” McLaughlin said. “If you come to our country illegally and break our law, we will find you and we will arrest you.”
But Menin and other Democrats ripped the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown at a press briefing Monday afternoon, where they called for the man’s release from custody.
“Across the nation, we have seen aggressive escalations by ICE that raise serious concerns on the use of excessive force and a lack of accountability,” Menin said. “As New Yorkers, we will stand up for the rights and dignity of every neighbor.”
Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman, a frequent ICE critic, portrayed the incident as part of a broader crackdown on immigrants, even those with legal status. He noted that the man’s detainment comes days after a Minneapolis woman, Renee Good, was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer in an incident that has prompted protests and heightened scrutiny of ICE enforcement.
“Secret masked police are killing Americans, are yanking anyone they can find out of cars, out of homes, out of courtrooms,” Goldman said in remarks. “And now [ICE] is targeting those who are trying to serve the public as employees of the New York City Council.’
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also chimed in on the man’s arrest, saying he was “outraged” in a social media post that called on federal authorities to release him.
“This is an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values,” he said. “I am calling for his immediate release and will continue to monitor the situation.”
