An FBI memo that claims “anarchist violent extremist actors” are focusing on legislation enforcement cites a non-public textual content message chat that included immigration court docket observers, elevating questions on whether or not the spy company is monitoring political exercise, a duplicate of the doc signifies.
The “joint situational information report,” launched through the Freedom of Data Act to a watchdog group, signifies details about a Could 2025 sign chat involving immigration court docket watchers was handed to authorities by “a sensitive source with excellent access,” the doc states.
“Discussions with the ‘courtwatch’ group chat also included instructions on where to go and what to say in order to gain access to federal courtrooms,” the memo states.
New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander observes immigration court docket on the Jacob Ok. Javits Federal Constructing on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Each day Information)
Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, talking exterior 26 Federal Plaza Friday, known as the obvious monitoring an “egregious violation of Constitutional rights.”
“The FBI is reverting to the days of J. Edgar Hoover,” he stated. “Court watching is constitutionally protected, nonviolent legal activity, unlike what the ICE agents are doing,” he stated.
“I’m concerned as well about the involvement of NYPD … From what we can tell, it’s an FBI investigation, but that the NYPD was looped into, or at least aware of, through their joint activities.”
In response to a number of sources with direct data of the matter, there have been dozens of “courtwatch” Sign chats involving immigration advocates in New York Metropolis. It’s unclear precisely which group chat that the feds referenced.
Whereas the doc signifies within the header it’s a “joint” memo with the NYPD, it states on the second web page it was ready by the FBI’s New York workplace.
A pair leaves an immigration courtroom on the Jacob Ok. Javits Federal Constructing on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Each day Information)
In a press release, an NYPD spokesperson stated, “This is not an NYPD document” and stated it was associated to a particular investigation.
“It references a broader counterterrorism investigation into a range of possible criminal activities, including weapons training, violence against law enforcement, property damage and destruction, and discussions about bomb-making,” the spokesperson stated.
The investigation, the NYPD assertion stated, was reviewed by the monitor charged with vetting police surveillance. That monitor was created as a part of the 1985 Handschu consent decree barring the division from surveilling political teams.
Ryan Shapiro, the manager director of the group Property of the Individuals, which obtained the memo, famous the doc is titled “Joint Situational Information Report FBI and NYPD.”
“The document is clear. (The) NYPD is involved. And unless the NYPD wants to claim the FBI is lying in the document, everything else is just smoke and mirrors to distract from the plain fact that NYPD is involved in spying on peaceful immigration activists,” stated Shapiro, whose Washington, D.C.-based group has been utilizing FOIA to acquire FBI paperwork for the previous 20 years.
Federal legislation enforcement officers are pictured exterior immigration courtrooms on the Jacob Ok. Javits Federal Constructing on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Each day Information)
In a press release, the FBI New York workplace didn’t establish a particular investigation because the NYPD’s assertion did.
“While we cannot confirm or deny the existence of any FBI-authored intelligence bulletin, we routinely share information to our law enforcement and intelligence community partners alerting them of potential threats,” the FBI assertion stated.
“The FBI takes all threats to public safety seriously, including those posed to law enforcement and public safety officials. The FBI has, and will continue to, monitor any indication of potential escalating violence in accordance with our predicated investigative guidelines.”
Lander has been one of many elected officers on the middle of protests in opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Teams together with the New York Immigration Coalition, whose works has been lauded by elected officers like Lander and Rep. Dan Goldman, have maintained an everyday presence on the decrease Manhattan facility in current months.
New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander observes immigration court docket on the Jacob Ok. Javits Federal Constructing on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Each day Information)
Lander was arrested in June and launched with out prices and arrested once more in September and charged with obstruction of justice.
An company spokeswoman this week made claims about Lander being obsessive about bodily and rhetorically “attacking,” legislation enforcement, which he has not legally been accused of, after he elected to go to trial on misdemeanor prices alleging he blocked hallway entry on a non public flooring at 26 Federal Plaza whereas attempting to examine the situations migrants are being detained in.
“Here are the facts: Brad Lander showed up to 26 Federal Plaza unannounced with agitators and media and proceeded to obstruct law enforcement and cause a scene,” stated ICE spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin lately. “Brad Lander’s obsession with attacking the brave men and women of law enforcement, physically and rhetorically, must stop NOW.”
Lander stated Friday it appeared ICE brokers had backed off of focusing on folks going into their asylum hearings on the federal workplace constructing.
New York Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander observes immigration court docket on the Jacob Ok. Javits Federal Constructing on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Each day Information)
The obvious transfer, he stated, makes it more durable to assist migrants being focused.
“When it’s at court, we’ve had some chance to connect with people and get them lawyers, but if they’re just taken off the streets, (we) don’t even know where to go,” he stated.
