The right-wing Wall Street Journal editorial board argued Tuesday that New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has only himself to blame for his brief arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Lander, a candidate in the crowded race for New York City mayor, was arrested while observing immigration court proceedings at a federal facility in Manhattan and later released. Footage from the incident showed him asking the agents for a warrant for another person they were trying to arrest as they wrestled him.
"The Associated Press report says Mr. Lander was arrested 'after he linked arms with a person authorities were attempting to detain.' Videos of the scene seem to show federal agents struggling to separate Mr. Lander from the man they were there to pick up," wrote the board. "Really, how long is federal law enforcement supposed to put up with this? Are they supposed to pull Mr. Lander into the elevator with them, while he protests that he’ll move his foot so the door can close once they flash a warrant? Refusing to physically let go of somebody who’s being detained by police is asking for trouble, even if this ultimately doesn’t merit prosecution."
"But in today’s social-media-soaked politics, notoriety can be good for business. Mr. Lander is only the most recent Democrat to get headlines by getting handcuffed," wrote the board. "Why can’t America’s politicians model better behavior?"
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has arrested and charged a number of lawmakers under similar circumstances.
During a protest against ICE in New Jersey, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested after refusing to leave a private, for-profit immigration detention facility he was trying to inspect. Baraka was ultimately released, but acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, a longtime Trump legal associate before her appointment, then filed charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver, who had also been trying to inspect the facility.