A New York City Council worker was detained during a regular immigration appointment on Long Island on Monday. City officials called this an example of extreme government overreach.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he is angry about the worker’s arrest. “This is an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values,” he said in a statement on X. “I am calling for his immediate release and will continue to monitor the situation.”
The Department of Homeland Security defended the arrest late Monday, according to ABC News. The agency said the employee is in the U.S. illegally and has a criminal history that includes an arrest for assault. DHS did not share more details about the assault arrest.
Federal officials claim the staffer had no legal right to stay in America
DHS said the worker entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa in 2017 that required him to leave the country later that year. “He had no legal right to be in the United States,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said. “Under Secretary Noem, criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States. If you come to our country illegally and break our law, we will find you and we will arrest you.”
Federal immigration officials detained the employee during an appointment in Bethpage in Nassau County on Monday, according to NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin. The speaker said the employee has legal permission to stay in the country until October.
I am outraged to hear a New York City Council employee was detained in Nassau County by federal immigration officials at a routine immigration appointment. This is an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values. I am calling for his immediate release and will continue…
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 12, 2026
The city council found out about his detention Monday afternoon when the employee used his one phone call to contact the council’s human resources department. “DHS confirmed that this employee had gone in for a routine court appointment and was nevertheless detained,” Menin said during a press briefing. “On the contrary, he was a city council employee who is doing everything right. He went to the court when he was asked.”
Menin said the city council is demanding the worker’s return. She did not share his name due to privacy concerns. He is a central staff member who works as a data analyst and has been employed for about a year. Meanwhile, some NYC establishments have faced scrutiny over their practices, with one chef exposing restaurant industry secrets recently.
This is exactly what happens when immigration enforcement is weaponized.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) January 13, 2026
Detaining people during routine court appearances doesn’t make us safer. It erodes trust, spreads fear, and violates basic principles of fairness.
We will continue to stand up for the rights of New… https://t.co/uj1yYVk92R
Democratic New York Congressman Dan Goldman said the employee is of Venezuelan descent and is a law-abiding immigrant with work authorization. “I want to be very clear: There is no indication that there’s anything about this individual other than his immigration status that caused him to be arrested,” he said. However, DHS said the worker was not authorized to work in the U.S. This incident comes as Mayor Mamdani has defended his controversial ICE shooting comments amid ongoing immigration enforcement debates in the city.
