ICE Detains Families Inside 26 Federal Plaza: Stealth Courthouse Sweeps After Canal Street Raid

Amid backlash to the Canal Street raid, masked ICE agents at NYC’s 26 Federal Plaza shifted to quieter detentions of entire families leaving immigration court, escorting them into elevators for questioning without overt force. Witnesses and advocates say the tactic heightens fear, risks separations, and limits immediate access to counsel. On-site interventions by Rep. Dan Goldman and NYC Comptroller Brad Lander prompted some releases. The pattern reflects an operational escalation clustered around Lower Manhattan’s immigration court complex.