In a tense confrontation at a Brooklyn detention center, three federal lawmakers from New York were reportedly stopped from entering or leaving the facility, being trapped by ICE agents wearing masks. The incident happened at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, where around 100 undocumented immigrants are currently being held.
The representatives involved were Adriano Espaillat, Nydia Velazquez, and Daniel Goldman, who were trying to inspect the facility as part of their oversight duties. Photos shared by the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) showed the lawmakers approaching the MDC. According to the NYIC, the representatives were denied entry, and agents then blocked them between a fence and the building.
A spokesperson for Rep. Espaillat confirmed to Fox what happened, saying that officials “closed the gate and ran away for about 20-30 minutes. No one could get in or out – either way – locking the members in for that time period.”
Democrat lawmakers were trapped by ICE agents
The MDC in Brooklyn has a history of holding well-known inmates, including the currently detained Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and Luigi Mangione. In the past, the facility has also housed high-profile individuals like former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and MSNBC host Al Sharpton. However, the center has recently faced criticism from several lawmakers for being used to detain undocumented immigrants.
During this standoff, the NYIC tweeted, “Masked agents refused [the lawmakers’] oversight access to Sunset Park [MDC] and have now trapped them between a fence and the facility.” State Senator Andrew Gounardes said in July that the MDC Brooklyn had started holding more than 100 detainees, many of whom, he claimed, had no criminal records.
We joined @NydiaVelazquez @RepEspaillat @RepGolden @HeyItsMurad today to visit the Sunset Park MDC. Agents would not allow congressional oversight of their detention facilities. #EndICEAbuses #SunsetParkMDC #ImmigrantsAreNY pic.twitter.com/twGu6OUoOh
— New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) (@thenyic) August 6, 2025
Gounardes called the practice an intimidation tactic meant to scare immigrant communities and keep them hidden. Rep. Goldman also criticized the decision to use the MDC, saying it undid past improvements at the facility and would overcrowd an already unsafe and understaffed location with people who had no criminal history.
The incident in Brooklyn is not the only one of its kind, as similar situations have happened in other cities recently. In Newark, a federal lawmaker was arrested for allegedly confronting federal agents outside a jail. This lawmaker was with other legislators, including the son of a former senator, who were also turned away. Another incident occurred in Baltimore, where several federal lawmakers and senators were denied entry to an ICE office. In the Baltimore case, ICE officials pointed out that the location was a processing center, not an actual detention facility.
