A new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report finds that within a three-month period, 440 illegal criminal aliens with detainers were released from local custody in New York City without ICE’s knowledge.
Of those 440 released, at least 40 went on to commit further crime in the city and were again arrested for offenses such as felony grand larceny, assault, and robbery.
According to the report, from January to mid-April, ICE prepared more than 440 detainers against criminal illegal aliens booked by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and New York Department of Corrections (NYDOC).
After a review of said detainers lodged with the NYPD and NYDOC, ICE found that criminal illegal aliens were not only released without them being notified, but that 40 of those released soon reoffended and were re-arrested.
Acting field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in New York, Scott Mechowski, said that the findings show how sanctuary policies put communities "at an unnecessary risk":
“In just three months, more than three dozen criminal aliens were released from local custody. Simply put, the politics and rhetoric in this city are putting its own communities at an unnecessary risk,” said Mechowski.
“ICE has no choice but to continue to conduct at-large arrests in local neighborhoods and at worksites, wasting valuable resources on criminal aliens who could be securely turned over to ICE custody at jails and prisons,” he went on. “However, ICE remains committed to its public safety mission and will continue to enforce our nation’s immigration laws.”
Others released from custody had committed crimes such as assault, trespassing, fraud, robbery, and homicide. They have not yet been accounted for.
According to an ICE press release, "ICE has not been notified about the release of aliens in custody at New York City facilities since 2014, except for those that fall within the 170 crimes considered egregious by the Mayor’s Office."
