Jurisdictions across New York have ignored more than 16,070 detainers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since the Trump administration took office on January 20, 2025, refusing to hold illegal aliens in custody.
DHS data shows these individuals are accused of committing over 52,503 criminal charges or convictions. The crimes include 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. Additional alleged crimes involve 9,502 assaults and 4,324 counts related to dangerous drugs.
One example involves Roman Ceron Amatitla, a 38-year-old Mexican man accused of setting a building ablaze in Flushing on March 16 that killed four people, including a three-year-old girl. Amatitla faces eight counts of second-degree murder and a first-degree arson charge and is being held without bail. Federal officials state New York City Department of Correction officials refused an April request to cooperate with ICE regarding his release.
Governor Hochul signed the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act in August, imposing restrictions on statewide cooperation with ICE for civil immigration matters. Alexia Nizhny, Hochul’s spokesperson, stated: “New York State is not and never will be a sanctuary for violent criminals.” She added that by law, New York State notifies federal immigration enforcement of any non-citizen serving a state prison sentence.
Despite turning over about 2,000 illegal aliens to ICE, numerous criminal migrants have been released without ICE cooperation. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi warned governors and local officials in January 2025 that they must certify compliance with federal immigration laws, stating sanctuary jurisdictions undermine federal enforcement. President Trump issued an executive order titled “Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens” requiring the identification of sanctuary cities.
Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting or obstructing lawful immigration enforcement requests. However, as of now, no sanctuary officials have been charged for refusing to comply with federal immigration laws.
