A NYC Council Employee's Detention Sparks Outrage Over Immigration "Overreach"
Federal immigration authorities detained a New York City Council employee in Nassau County on Monday, sparking widespread condemnation and calls for swift action to secure his release. The employee, a data analyst with the council, had been scheduled to appear before an immigration court judge but was instead taken into custody.
According to City Council Speaker Julie Menin, the employee has legal authorization to live and work in the US through October 2026. However, US Rep. Dan Goldman stated that the individual is of Venezuelan descent, raising questions about how this affected their detention. The council has declined to disclose further details to protect his identity.
The Department of Homeland Security claims that the employee lacked work authorization in the US and entered the country on a tourist visa in 2017, which expired by October 22 of that year. However, Menin disputed this claim, stating that the employee had done everything right and had previously signed an attestation stating he had never been arrested.
"This is an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values," said Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a statement. "I am calling for his immediate release and will continue to monitor the situation." Goldman echoed this sentiment, calling the detention part of a broader crackdown on immigrants, including those with legal status.
Menin likened the incident to a pattern under the Trump administration, stating that ICE has seen an escalation of aggressive actions that raise serious concerns about excessive force and lack of accountability. The case has sparked renewed scrutiny of ICE enforcement nationwide, with lawmakers in both New York and New Jersey weighing legislation to limit local agency cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The detention comes days after a Minneapolis woman was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer, further highlighting the need for greater oversight and accountability within ICE. As Menin said, "As New Yorkers, we will stand up for the rights and dignity of every neighbor."
Federal immigration authorities detained a New York City Council employee in Nassau County on Monday, sparking widespread condemnation and calls for swift action to secure his release. The employee, a data analyst with the council, had been scheduled to appear before an immigration court judge but was instead taken into custody.
According to City Council Speaker Julie Menin, the employee has legal authorization to live and work in the US through October 2026. However, US Rep. Dan Goldman stated that the individual is of Venezuelan descent, raising questions about how this affected their detention. The council has declined to disclose further details to protect his identity.
The Department of Homeland Security claims that the employee lacked work authorization in the US and entered the country on a tourist visa in 2017, which expired by October 22 of that year. However, Menin disputed this claim, stating that the employee had done everything right and had previously signed an attestation stating he had never been arrested.
"This is an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values," said Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a statement. "I am calling for his immediate release and will continue to monitor the situation." Goldman echoed this sentiment, calling the detention part of a broader crackdown on immigrants, including those with legal status.
Menin likened the incident to a pattern under the Trump administration, stating that ICE has seen an escalation of aggressive actions that raise serious concerns about excessive force and lack of accountability. The case has sparked renewed scrutiny of ICE enforcement nationwide, with lawmakers in both New York and New Jersey weighing legislation to limit local agency cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The detention comes days after a Minneapolis woman was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer, further highlighting the need for greater oversight and accountability within ICE. As Menin said, "As New Yorkers, we will stand up for the rights and dignity of every neighbor."
A council employee got detained by federil immigration autorities... and ppl r OUTRAGED!! 
Like how can this happen 2 a lawfull immigrant??! 
The speaker says he had work authorization thru oct 2026 but hes been detaind on some stupid claim abt his tourist visa 
and wants him releasd ASAP!!! 
I feel 4 him, I dont no wut we r supposed 2 do but this cant b right!! 
ICE needs 2 b held accountable 4 everythin they do... it's like they think they r above the law 
This is just getting outta hand... I mean, I'm all for enforcing laws, but this feels like a case of overreach to me. The fact that a council employee, with legit papers, gets swooped up by ICE and thrown into the system without even being told about it? That's not how we're supposed to treat our own people, let alone those who are just trying to make a living. And what's with this new "crackdown" on immigrants? It feels like we're going back to some dark time in American history... 
.
The council employee has all the right documentation, apparently, but still gets detained. What's going on with these immigration policies? It's like, they're trying to intimidate people into being scared of coming forward or seeking help. 
. the fact that the council employee has legal authorization to live and work here but still gets taken away is just wild 
. and the mayor and rep goldman are right on point saying this is an assault on our democracy 
... i mean i dont think anyone should be treated like this, regardless of their immigration status 
. and whats up with the department of homeland security claiming everything was fine when they know it might not be 
. it's 2025 and i still cant believe we're having conversations like this 
and I'm still thinking about trying this super spicy ramen at a street food stall... have you guys tried it? It was insane! 
. I mean, we're all human beings, right? And what's with the lack of transparency about how our government is handling these cases? Can't they just give us some answers already? 
and still have them taken away? it's like, what even is the criteria here? and also, why did they even need to disclose that he's Venezuelan? seems like a pretty low bar for xenophobia 
. The government needs to start taking responsibility for its actions and treating people with some basic human dignity 
. This whole thing is an assault on our values, plain and simple 
.
we need to separate fact from fiction here and not jump to conclusions based on rumors or speculation. 
It just smacks of xenophobia, you know? 
It's like the system itself has become a predator, preying on those who need it most.