ICE Agents Shove Journalists at NYC Immigration Court, One Hospitalized

September 30, 2025 – USA – 

A confrontation unfolded at New York’s 26 Federal Plaza, where masked ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents shoved credentialed journalists during the course of an operation, resulting in one reporter being hospitalized.

Video footage shows agents moving through a public elevator, during which they apparently pulled a reporter out and pushed others standing nearby. One journalist, L. Vural Elibol of Anadolu Agency, struck his head and was later immobilized with a neck brace and taken out on a stretcher. Two more—Olga Fedorova and Dean Moses—were also shoved to the ground, though their injuries appeared less severe.

According to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, the officers involved were responding to what they described as interference and obstruction by journalists and “agitators.” A DHS official claimed the agents had repeatedly instructed people to clear the area, though reporters at the scene denied receiving warnings before the force was used. Press rights groups and elected leaders rejected the justification, calling the incident an attack on freedom of the press.

Governor Kathy Hochul strongly criticized the actions of the ICE agents, saying they had “shoved and injured journalists” and demanded that such violence cease. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed that call, urging that the responsible agents be held accountable. Others, including New York City political figures, warned against normalizing aggressive tactics in courts and public spaces.

This incident comes just days after a viral video showed an ICE officer in the same building shoving a woman during an immigration court-related incident. That officer was temporarily relieved of duty, though later reinstated. Rights advocates say the recent episodes reflect a troubling pattern of escalating aggression by federal immigration enforcement in public and judicial settings.

Reference –

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/ice-officer-journalist-altercation-nyc/

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/30/us/ice-new-york-immigration-court-jounalists