An employee of the New York City Council was detained by federal immigration officials Monday during a routine court appointment on Long Island, according to city officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Council Speaker Julie Menin said the staffer was picked up by ICE on Monday afternoon during an appointment in Bethpage, New York, and was taken to the federal detention facility on Varick Street in Manhattan. The man is of Venezuelan descent and reportedly had legal authorization to be in the country through October of 2026, she said late Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are doing everything we can to secure his immediate release, and we demand swift and transparent action by the federal government on this apparent overreach,\u201d the speaker said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Menin held an \u201cemergency\u201d news conference at City Hall, joined by Rep. Dan Goldman and a number of council colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Officials within the Department of Homeland Security, the speaker said, confirmed the staffer was taken during the court appointment but \u201cprovided no other basis for his detainment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was \u201coutraged\u201d by the federal action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis 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,\u201d the mayor posted on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Menin said the council staffer was offered one phone call and chose to ring the council\u2019s HR department for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDespite every indication that he was doing everything the right way, he still found himself a victim of egregious government overreach,\u201d Menin said at the press briefing. \u201cThese escalations raise serious concerns about overreach, about the use of excessive force and about the lack of accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cICE is going after New York city public employees. They are going after our neighbors,\u201d Goldman said. \u201cThey are going after the easiest prey they can find.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The speaker did not disclose further details about the role of the staffer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n