ICE Agent Knocks Photographer Down, Injures Him in Courthouse Confrontation

11:47 AM PT -- Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin tells TMZ, “Yesterday morning when making the arrest of an illegal alien from Peru at 26 Federal Plaza, officers were swarmed by agitators and members of the press, which obstructed operations."

She continues, "Officers repeatedly told the crowd of agitators and journalists to get back, move, and get out of the elevator. Rioters and sanctuary politicians who encourage individuals to interfere with arrests are actively creating hostile environments that put officers, detainees and the public in harm’s way."

McLaughlin adds, "For context: this ICE building in NYC has been the target of multiple threats including assaults on law enforcement by sanctuary politicians and activists, a bomb threat, and a threatening letter with a white suspicious powder. Following last week’s terrorist attack, we are particularly concerned with our officers' safety. Again, we are urging the media and politicians to stop fanning the flames of division and stop demonization of law enforcement.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents attacked 2 members of the media ... and one ended up on a stretcher.

The violence went down at a New York City immigration court Tuesday after several masked agents entered an elevator with 2 detainees ... when a photographer walked in the elevator -- a public elevator, to be clear -- and was physically forced out by the agents.

In the commotion, another agent -- not in the elevator -- rushed up and hurled another member of the media, who then bumped into another member -- think human dominoes. The third person went down hard ... agents offered no aid as the elevator doors closed.

The victim -- freelance photographer L. Vural Elinor of the Anadolu Agency -- writhed on the ground before emergency medical personnel arrived, placing him on a stretcher and taking him to a hospital.

We reached out to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security ... so far, no word back.

This is just the latest in a string of violent confrontations involving ICE caught on camera in recent days ... including one where an agent grabbed a woman and essentially marched her down a long hallway -- before tossing her to the ground like a rag doll.

At the time, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told us, "The officer's conduct in this video is unacceptable and beneath the men and women of ICE. Our ICE law enforcement are held to the highest professional standards and this officer is being relieved of current duties as we conduct a full investigation."