New York, NY — Earlier today, Senator Julia Salazar escorted New Yorkers at 26 Federal Plaza to and from their immigration hearings in an effort to protect them from being illegally kidnapped by ICE. She released the following statement: 

“Today at 26 Federal Plaza, ICE intensified its kidnapping of New Yorkers by taking people before they had their hearings, barring observers from standing near ICE, claiming videos of ICE's disgraceful actions should not be posted on social media, and by entering waiting rooms. For example, a young man was taken from the elevator as he attempted to attend his own required immigration hearing. ICE then threatened to arrest my team and I for gathering to observe and escort New Yorkers as they left their hearings. 

As we’ve seen over the past two months, dozens of masked ICE agents also continued to abduct people after their hearings, regardless of their case status. Today, they took a father away from his wife and four-year-old son, even though the judge provided him with another court date. I urge every city and state leader to come see ICE's brutal operation with their own eyes.”