Tensions flared in New York as Department of Homeland Security agents entered the Manhattan office of Representative Jerry Nadler and briefly detained one of his female staff members, sparking outrage from the veteran Democrat.
The agents claimed they were responding to intelligence suggesting protesters were being sheltered in the building, which also houses a federal immigration court. Video footage from the scene shows agents handcuffing the aide while another staffer demanded to see a warrant before allowing further entry.
Nadler condemned the incident as an abuse of power, calling the raid “reckless” and warning that if such tactics could be used inside a congressional office, no American institution is safe from federal overreach. He demanded that DHS end its use of what he described as intimidation tactics and called for the termination of fast-track deportation policies he says erode due process.
The raid has drawn swift backlash from other Democratic leaders. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and New York Governor Kathy Hochul accused the Trump administration of targeting Democratic officials for political purposes. Jeffries warned that the incident represents a disturbing erosion of the separation between branches of government.
The confrontation adds to a growing list of disputes between DHS and Democratic lawmakers, intensifying debate over the scope of immigration enforcement and the use of federal power in politically sensitive contexts.