Federal Agents Clash with Journalists at NYC Immigration Court

Sat Oct 11 2025 04:10:03 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a troubling scene outside a New York City immigration court, federal agents clashed with journalists, resulting in one reporter being hospitalized as tensions over immigration enforcement rise.

Federal agents managing immigration operations in New York City engaged in a physical confrontation with journalists documenting their actions, leading to injuries and hospital treatment for one reporter. As concerns grow over aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, officials are defending the actions of agents amidst rising scrutiny from both the media and political leaders.

NEW YORK (AP) — Tensions escalated outside a New York City immigration court on Tuesday as federal agents were involved in a confrontation with journalists, resulting in one reporter being hospitalized following a push to the floor.

The incident involved L. Vural Elibol, a visual journalist for the Turkish news agency Anadolu. Witnesses reported that agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) forcefully removed journalists from a public elevator while attempting to detain individuals following hearings in the immigration court.

Elibol sustained injury after falling and hitting his head on the floor and was taken away in a neck brace after receiving treatment from bystanders and medical personnel on the scene. Other journalists present, including Dean Moses from amNewYork and freelance photographer Olga Fedorova, reported less serious injuries.

Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, defended the agents’ actions, claiming reporters and other crowds obstructed law enforcement operations. She remarked that officers were forced to issue repeated commands asking individuals to clear the area.

However, Moses described the situation as shocking and noted that agents forcibly pushed him out when he entered the elevator as they attempted an arrest. Fedorova, who has documented similar occurrences in the past, expressed frustration over the lack of clarity on whether an arrest was being made at all.

Politicians, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, condemned the aggressive tactics used against both law-abiding individuals and journalists, calling the incident an unacceptable use of force. The environment at the federal building, often crowded with individuals navigating their immigration status, has raised ongoing concerns about the treatment of civilians and press alike amidst heightened immigration enforcement policies.

This incident follows another confrontation in which a federal agent was seen on video using force against an immigrant woman, emphasizing the growing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in public spaces.