WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has released a statement condemning New York sanctuary politicians after new data revealed that the state of New York has refused to honor more than 16,000 ICE detainers since the start of the Trump Administration.
'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.' said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
He alleged that the ICE agents get no help from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and state Governor Kathy Hochul to enforce these laws.
'The Trump Administration is committed to protecting the American people in every city and every state, and we won't let sanctuary politicians stand in our way. If you're a state or local politician, your best bet is to cooperate with us so we can all make America safe again,' Mullin added.
The latest ICE data reveals that from January 20, 2025, to October 8, 2026, 16,070 detainers were not honored by the state of New York.
There are 52,503 total criminal charges and convictions associated with the detainers that were not honored in the state of New York. These crimes include homicides, kidnappings, sexual offenses, DUIs, burglaries, robberies, weapons offenses, dangerous drugs and assaults.
DHS released this data following a shooting last week in New York City after an illegal migrant weaponized his vehicle against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, forcing an officer to fire back in self-defense. This incident follows more than a year and a half of New York sanctuary politicians refusing to honor ICE detainers for dangerous illegal migrants in their custody, DHS alleged.
Less than a week before the shooting, two illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic stabbed an off-duty NYPD detective in an attempted robbery. Both suspects had previously been arrested by New York authorities for prior charges but were released before ICE could lodge detainers against them, according to DHS.
It accused New York City's Mayor Zohran Mamdani of signing an Executive Order turning New York City into a shield for violent criminal illegal aliens to reoffend and create more innocent victims.
In December last year, then-Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons sent a letter to New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with the attorneys general of California and Illinois, putting her on notice for the state's failure to honor ICE detainers. In response, New York Governor Kathy Hochul punished local law enforcement who did cooperate with ICE by proposing legislation that would bar local police departments from partnering and cooperating with ICE law enforcement, which she signed into law in May 2026. The law took effect on August 25.
DHS allged that under Governor Hochul, New York has become 'a hotbed of illegal alien crime'.
An ICE detainer is an official request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement asking state or local police to maintain custody of an individual for up to 48 hours past their scheduled release. This extra time allows ICE agents to assume custody for potential immigration removal proceedings.
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