Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Year : 2, Issue : 6
Lawmakers are demanding New York City undo laws that prevent federal agents from deporting migrants convicted of crimes, after a group of migrants assaulted NYPD officers in Times Square and several reportedly fled the state.
Gov. Kathy Hochul and other irate politicians are calling for their immediate deportation, but their words fall on deaf ears because the city’s laws prevent the NYPD from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“This past fiscal year, ICE issued 109 detainer requests for individuals who are dangerous, that committed crimes in our city, and zero, zero have been honored by the city of New York,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R).
Malliotakis is one of numerous public officials who think the migrants who attacked two NYPD officers in Times Square should be deported if they are convicted.
Unlike the governor and some of the others using the “D” word, Malliotakis knows it’s a tough sell, maybe impossible, because laws passed by the City Council and signed into law by former Mayor Bill de Blasio prevent the city from cooperating with ICE.
“What’s troubling the most perhaps is that NYPD’s hands are tied and they are prohibited by City Council’s laws of 2014 from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” said Malliotakis.
“A sanctuary city should not mean protecting criminals. So let’s stop right away and let’s change this,” said City Council Member Robert Holden (D).
CBS New York put the question to Mayor Eric Adams, who said migrants convicted of crimes should be thrown out of the county, but he doesn’t have the power to do it himself.
A spokesperson for the City Council defended the present laws, saying they were intended to ensure immigrant communities “are not deterred from seeking help or reporting crimes to city officials out of fear of deportation because of their immigration status.”
Source: CBS News
