Activists Reject Plea Deal in Uniland Sit-In Case
Seven anti-ICE protesters arrested at a Buffalo office face trespassing and disorderly conduct charges set for trial in January 2027.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Immigration
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Anti-ICE activists refused a plea offer from the Erie County District Attorney's Office in a case stemming from a September sit-in at Uniland Development Corp.'s Buffalo office. The activists, who were charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, said they will not accept any deal requiring them to admit guilt or accept a conviction.
Why it matters
The activists were protesting Uniland's lease with the Department of Homeland Security, and their refusal of a plea offer means the dispute will proceed to trial rather than resolve through negotiation. The outcome could shape how similar protest-related charges are handled in Erie County.
Seven activists face trespassing and disorderly conduct charges after refusing a plea offer from the Erie County District Attorney's Office, with trial scheduled for January 2027. The terms of the rejected offer and any possible revision before trial have not been disclosed.
The players
Erie County District Attorney's Office
The prosecuting office for Erie County, New York, which extended the plea offer that the activists rejected.
Uniland Development Corp.
A Buffalo-based real estate development company whose office was the site of the sit-in and whose lease with the Department of Homeland Security was the target of the protest.
Department of Homeland Security
The federal department whose lease with Uniland prompted the activists' campaign.
The details
Activists staged a sit-in inside Uniland Development Corp.'s Buffalo office in September 2026 and refused to leave when police asked them to. The group had been holding protests in front of the Uniland building since August to pressure the company not to renew its lease with the Department of Homeland Security.
Timeline
August 2026: Protests began in front of the Uniland building in Buffalo.
September 2026: Activists were arrested during the sit-in at Uniland's office.
November 12, 2026: Activists publicly declined the plea offer.
January 2027: Trial is scheduled for the activists' case.
Legal Context
The case tests how local prosecutors in Erie County handle trespass and disorderly conduct charges arising from direct-action campaigns targeting private landlords who lease office space to the Department of Homeland Security. Similar sit-in prosecutions in other jurisdictions have typically turned on whether defendants were given prior notice to leave.
For Buffalo residents, the case shows that protest activity at a private business can lead to criminal charges and possible trial even when defendants offer to resolve it by plea. Businesses leasing space to federal agencies may face sustained demonstrations and related legal proceedings in the city.
The takeaway
Protest-related prosecutions can stretch for months, and a rejected plea offer means the outcome will depend on a trial. Readers following local immigration disputes should watch for the January 2027 court date.
What happens next
The activists' case is scheduled for trial in January 2027, when a court will decide the trespassing and disorderly conduct charges.
Further reading
Read more about Immigration policy and enforcement coverage across the Buffalo area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Buffalo News.
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