Last Updated on 3 months by Ashley Michael
Department of Homeland Security officers handcuffed a staff member at Representative Jerry Nadler’s Manhattan district office Wednesday during immigration protests at the same federal building.
Federal Protective Service agents entered the New York Democrat’s sixth-floor office at 26 Federal Plaza after receiving reports of protesters inside. The building houses both congressional offices and an immigration court on the fifth floor.
Video footage shows officers handcuffing a female staffer while another agent attempted to access a private area. A second employee asked the officers for a warrant.
“You’re harboring rioters in the office,” an agent told staff members before proceeding inside. The detained employee was heard crying on the recording.
DHS stated its officers were conducting a security check when one person blocked their access. Agents detained the individual in the hallway to complete their inspection.
No charges were filed. The staffer confirmed her release without incident.
Nadler was not present during the confrontation. The congressman arrived later and spoke with officers to resolve the situation.
Robert Gottheim, Nadler’s chief of staff, disputed the agency’s account Sunday. He told CNN that DHS’s version was a “total fabrication.”
Immigration advocates had gathered earlier to observe court proceedings. Witnesses reported ICE agents were photographing asylum seekers arriving for hearings.
Staff members invited the observers into Nadler’s office after agents allegedly threatened arrests. Gottheim said officers entered without permission despite requests to see a warrant.
Twenty-three demonstrators were arrested outside the building later Wednesday. Police said protesters blocked traffic while opposing ICE detention operations.
The confrontation occurred as federal immigration enforcement intensifies nationwide. Last week, agents arrested a Venezuelan high school student at the same courthouse after a judge dismissed his deportation case.
Nadler released a statement Saturday condemning the incident. He called the office entry and detention “deeply troubling” and accused the administration of using “intimidation tactics.”
DHS maintained its officers followed protocol while investigating safety concerns about federal employees during nearby protests.