United States | The other half

Democrats could do a lot better with the power they hold

More than half of Americans live in states with Democratic governors. Many are poorly run

Steam vents in Manhattan, New York, United States
Photograph: Getty Images
|CHICAGO, NEW YORK AND SAN FRANCISCO|11 min read

THE VIDEO of Brad Lander getting slammed against a wall and arrested by federal immigration agents shocked New Yorkers, who are not easily shocked. On June 17th the mild-mannered city comptroller had been attempting to escort a migrant through a federal building in Manhattan as agents tried to detain the man. “It’s bullshit,” said Kathy Hochul, the Democratic governor of New York, of Mr Lander’s arrest. It came a week before a crowded Democratic primary for New York City mayor, in which the city comptroller is a candidate. The arrest may well help his campaign, but it marked yet another skirmish over immigration with Donald Trump’s administration. It is just the latest escalation in a confrontation with cities and states that did not vote for the president, on a topic where the public supports him most.

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This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “The other half”

From the June 21st 2025 edition

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