A New York City Council employee was detained by federal immigration officials during a routine immigration appointment in Nassau County on Monday, drawing sharp criticism from local leaders. The employee, a data analyst of Venezuelan descent, had no prior arrests and is authorized to remain in the U.S. until October, according to Council Speaker Julie Menin. Despite his legal status, he was transferred to a detention center in Lower Manhattan, prompting urgent calls for his release.
Speaker Menin condemned the action, calling it a “clear overreach” by federal immigration authorities. She reassured the public that City Council members are actively working to secure the immediate release of the employee. “We are doing everything we can to secure the immediate release of our @NYCCouncil employee. This action is a clear overreach, and we will fight for full transparency and accountability as we protect New Yorkers,” Menin wrote on social media.
The situation unfolded when the employee called the City Council’s human resources office for assistance, explaining he had been detained. “He was given, I want to be clear, one call and he called the City Council for help,” Menin said, emphasizing that the employee has retained an immigration attorney.
City Councilman Harvey Epstein spoke out against the federal government’s actions, stating that this incident sends the wrong message to immigrants who are trying to comply with the law. “If someone has an appointment and is legally here and under work authorization, [which is] exactly what our colleague is, and then they show up to their appointment and they get taken anyway, you cannot expect people to show up for their appointments,” Epstein said. “This chaos the federal government is creating is a chaos that is hurting everyday New Yorkers.”
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security indicated that the employee had a criminal history, including an arrest for assault. They also claimed that the individual entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa in 2017, which required him to depart by October 22, 2017. The DHS stated that the employee had no legal right to be in the United States at the time of his detainment.
The incident has garnered strong responses from local officials, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemning the detainment as an attack on democracy and city values. “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 to monitor the situation,” Mamdani said.
Governor Kathy Hochul echoed Mamdani’s sentiments, criticizing the federal government’s actions: “This is exactly what happens when immigration enforcement is weaponized. 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 Yorkers,” she wrote on social media.
Rep. Dan Goldman also weighed in, calling the detainment “unconscionable” and vowing to fight against it. “Imagine someone coming here, trying to serve this country and being told, ‘No, I’m sorry, you’re going to be yanked away from your job and your family and sent back home.’ We will continue to fight this,” Goldman said.
The Association of Legislative Employees has also called for the immediate release of the employee, and a rally will be held outside the detention center at 201 Varick St. in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday at noon to show support.
