A recent confrontation at 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan landed a photojournalist in the hospital following an altercation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. According to CBS News New York, the incident occurred earlier today and involved federal agents and members of the city's press corps who have been covering immigration hearings.
The scuffle was captured on video, which showed agents, donning masks and tactical gear, forcefully removing a photojournalist from an elevator. Freelance photojournalist Stephanie Keith documented the episode, with her footage depicting chaos as ICE personnel clashed with the press. A man, later verified by The Daily News as L. Vural Elibol of Anadolu Agency, was seen being placed in a neck brace and taken away on a stretcher after apparently hitting his head during the melee.
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander took to social media to express outrage, labeling the event as "another violent attack by an ICE officer on a civilian at 26 Federal Plaza - this time on a journalist." Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-Manhattan) echoed similar concerns in a statement, condemning the assault on journalists and emphasizing the gravity of upholding the First Amendment. CBS News New York reached out to the Department of Homeland Security but hadn't received immediate comment.
Adding to the tension, an ICE spokesperson told CBS News New York that the officer involved in a previous altercation at the same location, which saw a woman shoved to the ground, had been temporarily relieved of duty but returned to active status shortly after. In response to both incidents, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams criticized federal enforcement actions, suggesting that if such attacks occurred outside the confines of federal property, the perpetrators "would be arrested for assault." He urged the NYPD to "explore any ability they have to stop these repeat offenders committing violence in our city."
The FDNY confirmed to both news outlets that they responded to the scene around 10:30 a.m. and transported one individual to the hospital. Details regarding the photojournalist's condition remain undisclosed. Meanwhile, amid growing scrutiny over tactics employed by immigration enforcement, federal facilities in New York City continue to be a flashpoint for controversy, particularly with the Trump administration's immigration policies under the microscope by local officials and the media alike.
