Fact Check: Lander faced assault charges against ICE officers, later dropped.

Fact Check: "Lander faced assault charges against ICE officers, later dropped."

What We Know

Brad Lander, the New York City Comptroller and a candidate for mayor, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on June 17, 2025, after he attempted to intervene in the arrest of a migrant at an immigration courthouse in Manhattan. According to reports, Lander was accused of assaulting and impeding federal officers during the incident, although he denied these allegations, stating, "I certainly did not assault an officer" (source-2). A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed that Lander had assaulted law enforcement and impeded their duties (source-1).

Hours after his arrest, Lander was released, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed that the charges against him had been dropped (source-3). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York stated they were still investigating the incident but did not confirm any formal charges against Lander at that time (source-5).

Analysis

The claim that Lander faced assault charges against ICE officers, which were later dropped, is substantiated by multiple reliable sources. The initial reports indicated that Lander was arrested for allegedly assaulting a federal officer and impeding their duties (source-6). However, the rapid development of events led to the charges being dropped shortly after his arrest, as confirmed by Governor Hochul and various news outlets (source-4).

The reliability of the sources reporting on this incident is high, as they include established news organizations such as The New York Times, Reuters, and NBC News, which are known for their journalistic standards. Additionally, statements from public officials like Governor Hochul and the U.S. Attorney's Office lend further credibility to the claims regarding the charges being dropped.

However, the context surrounding the arrest is politically charged, with various interpretations of Lander's actions. Some officials and commentators have framed the incident as an abuse of power by ICE, while others have criticized Lander's actions as obstructive (source-3). This political backdrop should be considered when evaluating the motivations behind the statements made by involved parties.

Conclusion

The claim that "Lander faced assault charges against ICE officers, later dropped" is True. The evidence clearly shows that Lander was arrested under allegations of assaulting federal officers, but those charges were subsequently dropped shortly after his arrest. The information is corroborated by multiple credible sources, and the rapid resolution of the charges supports the accuracy of the claim.

Fact Check: Lander faced assault charges against ICE officers, later dropped.