New York Turns Down More Than 16,000 ICE Detainers Linked to Over 52,000 Criminal Charges

In a move that’s rattling the halls of Washington, New York’s municipalities have collectively said “no” to 16,070 ICE detainer requests filed by the Trump administration since President Trump’s return to office less than two years ago. The numbers are stark: the denied detainers involve undocumented migrants linked to more than 52,000 criminal charges.

Those charges range from the most serious—131 alleged homicides and 132 kidnappings—to a litany of other offenses: 1,017 sexual crimes, 1,561 DUI counts, 1,631 burglaries, 1,776 robberies, and 2,198 weapons‑related infractions. Add to that 9,502 assault allegations and 4,324 drug‑related counts, and the picture looks anything but rosy.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin didn’t mince words. “While sanctuary politicians keep releasing dangerous criminals onto our streets, brave law‑enforcement officers are risking their lives to protect the public,” he told reporters. He went on to blame New York’s mayor and governor for “standing in the way” of federal immigration enforcement.

New York, however, says it’s following its own laws. Governor Kathy Hochul’s office pointed out that the state notifies federal authorities whenever a non‑citizen serves a sentence in a state prison. In August, Hochul signed the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act, a measure that curtails certain types of statewide cooperation with ICE on civil immigration matters.

The data released by the Department of Homeland Security show that, despite the refusal to honor detainers, roughly 2,000 individuals held in New York state facilities have still been turned over to federal immigration officials during the Trump era.

Tensions boiled over last week when ICE agents shot Oscar Belgal in the Bronx after a chaotic chase that left his five‑year‑old child in the back seat. According to ICE, Belgal ignored orders to exit his vehicle and slammed his SUV into two government cars before accelerating away. He was later hit in the neck and taken into federal custody.

Critics of the governor’s policies argue that labeling New York a “sanctuary state” obscures the reality that many of the migrants in question are indeed accused of violent or serious crimes. Hochul’s spokesperson, Alexia Nizhny, pushed back, calling the federal accusations a “blatant mischaracterization” designed to distract from what they see as “cruel and violent” rhetoric from the Department.

Regardless of the political spin, the numbers are hard to ignore: 16,000 missed detention requests, over 52,000 alleged offenses, and a growing rift between a state that prides itself on local autonomy and a federal agency that insists on national uniformity in immigration enforcement.