An aide to Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., was briefly detained after confronting Department of Homeland Security officials in Manhattan.
According to a DHS statement, a Federal Protective Service officer showed up at Nadler's Lower Manhattan office Wednesday because they were concerned about the safety of the federal employees in an office.
"Upon arrival, officers were granted entry and encountered four individuals. Officers identified themselves and explained their intent to conduct a security check, however, one individual became verbally confrontational and physically blocked access to the office," DHS said in a statement. "The officers then detained the individual in the hallway for the purpose of completing the security check. All were released without further incident."
Video posted on YouTube shows the crying employee being handcuffed while another person consoles them. Federal Protective Service is heard yelling, "Do not resist."
The confrontation occurred after the aide observed federal agents detaining migrants in a public hallway outside an immigration courtroom in the same building as Nadler's office, the New York Times reported.
Nadler accused the Trump administration with behaving like fascists in an interview with the New York Times.
"The Trump administration is trying to intimidate members of Congress," Nadler said.
Robert Gottheim, chief of staff for Nadler, told the Times that members of Nadler's staff had invited protesters to their offices in an attempt to deescalate a confrontation with federal officers.
Protesters were advising migrants of their rights while they were being taken into custody, the Times reported.
"The Trump administration is really using totalitarian or even authoritarian practices," Nadler said to the Times. "We have to fight them. We don't want to be a fascist country."
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.