Full Breakdown
Confrontation Between ICE Agents and Journalists at New York Immigration Court
10/3/2025, 8:03:35 AM
Incident Overview
On September 30, 2025, a confrontation occurred at the 26 Federal Plaza immigration court in Manhattan, where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents forcibly removed journalists from an elevator, resulting in injuries to one reporter. The incident unfolded as ICE agents attempted to arrest an undocumented immigrant from Peru, during which journalists were documenting the event.
Sequence of Events
The altercation began when Dean Moses, a video journalist from amNewYork, entered an elevator alongside two women being pursued by masked ICE agents. As Moses attempted to film the situation, he was verbally assaulted and physically shoved out of the elevator by an agent. Witnesses reported that another journalist, Olga Fedorova, was also pushed to the ground, falling onto L. Vural Elibol, a photographer for the Anadolu Agency, who subsequently hit his head and was hospitalized.
Injuries and Medical Response
Elibol was seen lying motionless on the floor after the incident, prompting emergency medical services to place him in a neck brace and transport him on a stretcher to a hospital. His current condition remains unclear. Moses and Fedorova, while shaken, did not sustain serious injuries.
Official Responses
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, defended the actions of the ICE agents, claiming they were "swarmed by agitators and members of the press," which obstructed their operations. She emphasized the heightened concerns for officer safety following a recent attack on an ICE office in Dallas. Conversely, New York Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the agents' actions, stating, “This abuse of law-abiding immigrants and the reporters telling their stories must end. What the hell are we doing here?”
Criticism and Opposition
Critics, including Governor Hochul and State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, expressed outrage over the incident, labeling it as part of a disturbing trend of violence against both immigrants and journalists at federal facilities. Mamdani remarked, “We cannot accept or normalize what has now become routine violence at 26 Federal Plaza.” Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also criticized the Department of Homeland Security, asserting that it prioritizes intimidation over national security.
Context of Increasing Tensions
This incident is not isolated; it follows a similar confrontation just days earlier, where an ICE agent was recorded shoving a woman into a wall during her husband’s arrest. Both incidents highlight escalating tensions surrounding ICE's enforcement tactics and the treatment of individuals in public areas of federal buildings, which are often filled with immigrants, activists, and journalists.
Conclusion
The September 30 incident at the New York immigration court underscores the contentious relationship between ICE agents and the press, raising significant concerns about the treatment of journalists and the implications for press freedom. As calls for accountability grow, the situation reflects broader national debates regarding immigration enforcement practices under the Trump administration.
