Legislators object to possibly 'discriminatory arrests' of men allegedly cruising at Penn Station

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York and other politicians are objecting to what they call “discriminatory arrests” of men allegedly cruising for gay sex at New York City’s Penn Station.

Nadler and three New York State legislators, Sens. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Liz Krueger and Assembly Member Tony Simone, sent a letter Friday to National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) President Roger Harris about the matter.

They said media reports show Amtrak Police have been targeting a men’s restroom at Penn Station, focusing on members of the LGBTQ+ community. “According to the reporting, Amtrak Police made 23 arrests for ‘public lewdness’ at Penn Station in June 2025 and is now making up to 20 such arrests per day,” they wrote. “The reporting also indicates that many of these charges have been ultimately dropped but only after LGBTQ New Yorkers have been handcuffed and arrested.

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“In at least one case, an arrestee was transferred to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Finally, the reporting indicates that undercover Amtrak Police are using constitutionally dubious tactics to target individuals they perceive as targets for arrest, including by using apps popular with gay men and by approaching and propositioning users of the bathroom.”

Gothamist and The City have put the total number of arrests at 200, with 20 people transferred to ICE custody.

The legislators “demand that Amtrak Police immediately cease identifying and targeting members of the LGBTQ community for search, seizure and arrest on the basis of their perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, which likely constitutes discriminatory treatment in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” their letter continued.

They requested an urgent meeting with Harris and representatives of Amtrak Police to discuss the issue. “Specifically, it is imperative that Amtrak provide clarification or justification for its reported arrest campaign and commit to exploring alternatives that further Amtrak’s goals without subjecting New Yorkers to arrest and detention solely on the basis of their perceived sexual orientation or gender identity,” they wrote.

“There is a long and painful tradition of police forces using loitering, identification, prostitution, lewdness, and similar laws to target LGBTQ people for harassment, arrest, and incarceration,” they pointed out. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey settled a class action lawsuit regarding similar arrests a few years ago and promised to end such actions, the legislators noted.

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“While Amtrak is entitled to ensure that its facilities are not used for illicit purposes, we do not believe Amtrak should be doing so with a hostile arrest campaign reminiscent of anti-LGBTQ policing from the Stonewall era,” they added.

The policing at Penn Station “involved undercover officers posted in the bathrooms at urinals or in stalls, looking for men meeting up for anonymous sex,” Gothamist reports. Users of the cruising app Sniffies advised men to avoid the restroom in question.

Donald Trump’s administration has recently taken charge of the renovation of Penn Station, which was previously in the hands of the local transit authority, Gothamist notes.

Amtrak officials previously told the site that the crackdown started after customers complained and that arrests have now declined. “Amtrak remains committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all travelers and will continue to monitor conditions closely, making adjustments as needed to uphold the highest standards of security,” spokesman Jason Abrams told Gothamist.