New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) has voiced strong disapproval following the detainment of a City Council employee by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Monday. The detainment occurred during what was meant to be a routine immigration court visit.

The incident unfolded on Long Island, prompting Mayor Mamdani to describe the event as an “assault on our democracy” in a statement shared on social media platform X. He is calling for the immediate release of the detained staff member.

The individual in question is reported to be a data analyst who has been with the council for approximately a year. Following the detainment, they were relocated to a detention center in Manhattan.

It raises significant concerns that an individual without legal status is responsible for handling data in the nation’s largest city.

“I am deeply disturbed to learn that a New York City Council employee was detained by federal immigration officials in Nassau County during a routine immigration appointment,” Mamdani expressed with frustration. “This action undermines our democracy, our city, and the principles we uphold. I demand his immediate release and will be closely monitoring this situation.”

“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,” Mamdani fumed. “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.” 

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…

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 12, 2026

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Nah, Chief. An assault on our democracy is allowing an invasion of criminal illegals into this country. Oh, speaking of assault …

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials defended the arrest, stating that the employee is in the United States illegally after entering on a B2 tourist visa in 2017, which required him to depart that same year. He was reportedly not granted the legal right to remain or work in this country.

Worse, DHS has stated the employee has a criminal history that includes an arrest for assault. No further details on that charge are available at this time.

“He had no legal right to be in the United States,” department spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement, according to ABC News. “Under Secretary [Kristi] Noem, criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States. If you come to our country illegally and break our law, we will find you, and we will arrest you.”

City officials, however, maintain that the employee was “doing everything right,” claim he had work authorization valid until October, and said there is no indication that the detention stemmed from anything beyond his immigration status. You know, the ol’ ‘the only thing he did wrong was be in the country illegally’ drumbeat. As if that’s not enough to get you detained by ICE.

Immigration agents detained an employee of the New York City Council.

“A regular checkin quickly went awry. He was taken in and he was moved to a detention center.

He was a city council employee who was doing everything right.

He went to the court when he was asked. I wanna… pic.twitter.com/Kvf5IBj6vx

— ICE of TikTok (@ICEofTikTok) January 13, 2026

Democrats didn’t want to hear all that noise about being in the country. And damned if you could get them to comment on the alleged assault. Nay, they simply wanted the man released without any curiosity about his alleged criminal behavior.

“DHS confirmed that this employee had gone in for a routine court appointment and was nevertheless detained. They provided no other basis for his detainment,” NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin (D) said during a press briefing on Monday. “On the contrary, he was a city council employee who is doing everything right. He went to the court when he was asked.”

If he were doing everything right, he wouldn’t have overstayed his visa. He would have followed the steps necessary to remain in the country legally. Instead of getting a case of the sads over this, perhaps Menin could better use her time and resources to try to figure out why an alleged illegal with an arrest record is working for her City Council.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) also expressed outrage over the data analyst’s detainment.

“This is exactly what happens when immigration enforcement is weaponized,” she wrote on X. “Detaining people during routine court appearances doesn’t make us safer. It erodes trust, spreads fear, and violates basic principles of fairness.”

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… https://t.co/uj1yYVk92R

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) January 13, 2026

Enforcement should be weaponized against those in the country illegally. Even more so for those with a history of assault.

The real assault on democracy isn’t ICE doing its job—it’s the brazen hypocrisy of New York City’s progressive elites, who clutch their pearls over every illegal swept up in law enforcement operations, while turning a blind eye to the fact that an illegal alien with an assault arrest on his record may have been quietly working for the nation’s largest city government. 

Mamdani and Menin can scream about it all they want.

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