Federal Agents Clash with Journalists Outside NYC Immigration Court

Fri Oct 10 2025 18:35:10 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a troubling incident, federal agents clashed with journalists at a New York City immigration court, resulting in one journalist hospitalized and accusations of aggressive enforcement from officials.

Federal agents engaged in a violent confrontation with reporters outside the immigration court in New York City, leading to one journalist injured and sent to the hospital. The incident raises concerns over law enforcement's treatment of press members during immigration enforcement operations. Witnesses and affected journalists expressed their frustration over the lack of clarity regarding the agents' actions, while officials defended their response.

NEW YORK (RTWNews) — A severe confrontation erupted between federal agents and journalists outside a New York City immigration court, leading to serious injuries for one journalist on Tuesday. The incident has ignited fresh debates about the enforcement tactics being employed in the ongoing immigration crackdown under former President Donald Trump's administration.

L. Vural Elibol, a visual journalist representing the Turkish news agency Anadolu, was injured following an altercation where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents forcibly ejected him and other journalists from the vicinity. Witnesses reported that Elibol struck his head on the floor after an agent pushed another journalist while attempting to cover the arrest of a woman leaving the court.

After the incident, Elibol was seen being treated for his injuries, displaying signs of distress, and was eventually transported to the hospital. Journalists Dean Moses and Olga Fedorova were also part of the clash but fortunately escaped without serious injury.

In the aftermath, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin justified the actions of the agents, claiming they were responding to a situation where they felt physically threatened by both agitators and press members obstructing their operations. Officers repeatedly told the crowd to move and get out of the elevator, she stated.

However, journalists present argued that they had been covering the events in that area without opposition for months and were unclear about any arrest procedures that may affect their ability to report.

Following the altercation, New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her dismay regarding the treatment of both immigrants and the media, emphasizing the need for a halt to such aggressive enforcement measures.

The incident highlights tense interactions between immigration enforcement and the press, casting a shadow over the accessibility and transparency of federal operations in public spaces.