Civil disobedience and mass arrests outside immigration court in New York: in pictures

"Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller, speaks with a federal agent alongside other local elected officials to try to gain access to the tenth floor of the Jacob K Javits Federal Building in New York on 18 September 2025. For months, federal agents have arrested people following their immigration hearings in the hallways and have held them on the tenth floor Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The Guardian"

"A federal agent blocks access to the tenth floor Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The Guardian Local elected officials chant on the tenth floor after repeatedly being denied access Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The Guardian Federal police officers arrest comptroller Brad Lander alongside Marcela Mitaynes, an assembly member. Brad Lander was previously arrested in the same building on 17 June after trying to safely escort a man out of the building following his immigration hearing Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The Guardian"

"Brad Lander and Gustavo Rivera, a state senator, are loaded into an elevator Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The Guardian Activists chant while sitting on the driveway to an underground garage outside the Jacob K Javits Federal Building Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The Guardian Police arrest Jumaane Williams, the public advocate Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The Guardian Immigration activists chant as police arrest people Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The Guardian"

Elected officials and immigration activists attempted to gain entry to the tenth floor of the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building because federal agents were arresting people in hallway areas following immigration hearings and holding them on that floor. Repeated denials of access prompted chants, sit-ins and attempts to escort detainees to safety. Federal officers arrested multiple local leaders, including the comptroller, assembly members, a state senator, the public advocate, clergy and other activists. Detainees were moved into elevators, vans and a police bus after confrontations with officers at the building and outside on the driveway.

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