Safety concern led to handcuffs on congressional staffer

Officers for the Department of Homeland Security on Saturday briefly handcuffed an aide to Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y. during a confrontation in the congressman’s Manhattan office. The officers from the Federal Protective Service, the department’s domestic police force, were acting on reports that protesters had entered Nadler’s offices, DHS said Monday. The officers were concerned for the safety of federal employees. The department’s statement came after Rep. Nadler publicly complained about their visit.

Once the officers arrived and identified themselves, an individual became verbally confrontational and physically blocked access to the office, DHS said. The officers then briefly detained the individual in the hallway while completing the security check. The officers didn’t make any arrests. The department didn’t say whether protesters were in the office during the check.

What did Nadler say about the incident? Nadler on Saturday said the agents forcefully entered his office. He characterized the incident as showing a disregard for legal boundaries. Nadler called on President Trump and DHS to stop using the expedited removal process to expel illegal immigrants.

How did the protest unfold? Protesters and advocates for immigrant rights had gathered at the building in Manhattan earlier in the day. The building houses both Nadler’s office and an immigration court, according to the New York Times. After witnessing tensions between the advocates and DHS agents who were taking immigrants into custody outside the courtroom, Nadler’s staff invited some of the advocates to come to his office, the Times reported.

What did this look like? A video posted by the WNYC radio station showed the female staffer crying as she was handcuffed, while another person briefly blocked entry to a private area of the office. One officer asked to enter, saying he believed rioters were inside, while the person blocking the door asked for a warrant. The officer responded that he didn’t need one and had the right to perform a security check. The person blocking the door allowed him to enter.

Dig deeper: Read Carrigan Hoyle’s report on the Supreme Court’s decision to let DHS revoke parole status for some noncitizens.