Amid outrage over Tuesday’s ICE raid on Canal Street, masked agents adopted a new tactic last week at nearby 26 Federal Plaza: detaining several families at once and taking them into custody for questioning.
After the chaotic and violent operation in Chinatown, fear and desperation inside the immigration court in Lower Manhattan visibly increased.
Sources close to ICE procedures at 26 Federal Plaza confirmed that agents changed tactics. To divert media attention, the hooded men replaced physical force with more stealthy procedures.
As our sister publication amNewYork noted last week, a Russian man accompanied by his wife, baby, and young son was detained as he left a 12th-floor room, but was later released.
“Did you think we were going to do that? We wouldn’t,” one of the officers said, referring to detaining the family. However, another agent intercepted them a few steps later and told them: “We need to ask you some questions.”
Without touching them, the agents escorted them to an elevator. Until now, his whereabouts are unknown.
A few minutes later a similar incident occurred: a father with his daughter in his arms and his wife were also taken to an elevator. As the photojournalists began taking pictures, one of the federal agents waved his hand in front of the cameras.
That same day, a group of federal officers approached a woman waiting for the elevator and reviewed her documents. When they determined that she was not the person they were looking for, they let her go, but the shock caused her to burst into tears.
On other occasions, hooded agents slipped into elevators alongside entering immigrants, disappearing with them after the doors closed.
This change in strategy comes after months of intense and physical arrests, in which hearing attendees were knocked to the ground or carried out of the courtroom hallways.
A court observer who identified himself as Peter, who works to track people detained by ICE, called this new practice extremely concerning.
“Detaining entire families, even temporarily, represents a serious escalation in tactics. When a family is separated within the court, at least those who remain can receive immediate help or counseling,” he explained. “But when an entire family disappears inside the federal building, they are left without any resources for support after detention. Perhaps that is the goal of this new practice.”
In response, Congressman Dan Goldman made a surprise visit on October 23 to the immigration court, where he confronted several masked agents demanding to see their badges and know which agency they belonged to.
On that occasion, a dozen agents waited outside a room for the judge to release the defendants. Shortly after noon, a large group—mostly families—came out into the hallway.
A young father with a child in his arms was detained, prompting his wife to push through the crowd screaming for mercy. Press photographers and the congressman watched attentively.
Finally, the officers released him, and families ran frantically toward the elevators, hitting the down button and pushing each other to get in, as if their lives depended on it.
Peter, the observer, assured amNewYork that thanks to the presence of the press and Congressman Goldman, the man was freed.
On Friday, politicians kept up the pressure. This time, the city’s comptroller, Brad Lander, appeared unexpectedly on the scene.
