Mayor-Elect Mamdani Says NYPD Spying on ICE Courtwatch Group Under Commissioner Tisch Is 'Deeply Troubling'

Since this summer, dozens of volunteers, including New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, have been sitting in on immigration court hearings in Lower Manhattan, bearing witness to ICE's kidnappings of immigrant New Yorkers. In addition to documenting the proceedings inside and outside of courtrooms, these courtwatchers aim to peacefully prevent ICE agents from detaining New Yorkers and separating families, by accompanying them out of courtrooms and courthouses.

Last week, it was revealed through a FOIA request that both the FBI and the NYPD have been spying on at least one Signal chat of immigrant rights activists who monitor immigration courts in Lower Manhattan. This collaboration has raised questions about the NYPD's coordination with federal immigration enforcement, as well as (once again) brought the NYPD's long history of often-illegal infiltration of political groups to the forefront. 

On Monday afternoon, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani told Hell Gate that this type of spying and infiltration into courtwatch groups would not be acceptable under his administration.