New York State REJECTS over 16,000 ICE detainer requests associated with over 50,000 crimes

Since President Donald Trump reentered office, ICE detainers have been rejected in cities across New York State for more than 16,000 illegal immigrants who have been charged or convicted of more than 50,000 criminal charges.

The Department of Homeland Security has provided details on 52,503 criminal charges or convictions ranging from murder to kidnapping to sexual assault that are associated with ICE detainers that have been rejected in New York State since President Trump’s second term started 2 years ago. 

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin told the New York Post, “While sanctuary politicians continue to release dangerous criminals onto their streets, our brave law enforcement officers will continue to risk their lives to arrest these heinous criminals and make America safe again. Illegal aliens have no sanctuary in America,” adding, “we enforce these laws with no help from Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul.” 

ICE detainers are requests made by ICE to local and state law enforcement, asking to detain a suspected illegal immigrant for up to 48 hours so that they can take custody of them. However, the state of New York allows local governments to set their own policies.

Because of New York’s policies, the Trump administration had called New York a “Sanctuary State.”

 In August, Governor Hochul signed the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, which imposes restrictions on some types of statewide cooperation with ICE on civil immigration matters. 

According to DHS statistics, alleged crimes committed by illegal immigrants “included 131 homicides, 132 kidnappings, 1,017 sexual offenses, 1,,561 counts of driving under the influence, 1,631 burglaries, 1,776 robberies and 2,198 weapons infractions.”

A spokeswoman for Governor Hochul, Alexia Nizhny, said in response to the DHS data that, “Governor Hochul has been clear: New York State is not and never will be a sanctuary for violent criminals,” adding “By law, New York State always notifies federal immigration enforcement of any non-citizen serving a State prison sentence,” and “Any assertion otherwise is a blatant mischaracterization of the facts meant to distract from the cruelty and violence we saw from Secretary Mullin’s ICE agents earlier this week.”

Last Thursday, illegal immigrant Oscar Bergal, from the Dominican Republic, was shot by an ICE officer in the Bronx during a targeted enforcement operation. Officials said that Bergal, 28, refused to comply with orders and attempted to ram ICE agents with his car. According to ICE official Marcos Charles, Bergal “accelerated his vehicle, smashing into two of our government ICE vehicles and then weaponized his vehicle and proceeded to accelerate going towards other officers.” He added, “Our officers, using their training, and believing that their life and the life of the partners and general public were in danger, used their training and fired weapons. Mr Bergal was struck by one of the bullets or fragments superficially in the neck. He stopped his vehicle. We arrested him, rendered first aid, and then took him to the hospital.” 

The DHS was set to deport Bergal, who officials say is an associate of the criminal Trinitarios gang. A federal judge, J Paul Oetken, has since blocked Bergal’s deportation, stating on Friday that Bergal cannot be removed from the US without a court order while he has a challenge against his deportation pending.