U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons has sent a letter to New York Attorney General Letitia James, urging her office to honor ICE arrest detainers for over 7,000 criminal illegal aliens currently in state custody. According to ICE, these individuals include people convicted or charged with serious crimes such as homicide, sexual predatory offenses, weapons charges, assault, burglary, robbery, and dangerous drug offenses.
Since January 20, New York’s policy of not honoring ICE detainers has led to the release of 6,947 criminal illegal aliens. The released individuals were involved in a range of crimes: 29 homicides, 2,509 assaults, 199 burglaries, 305 robberies, 392 dangerous drugs offenses, 300 weapons offenses, and 207 sexual predatory offenses. Currently there are still 7,113 aliens in the custody of New York jurisdictions with active detainers for similar types of crimes.
ICE previously contacted Attorney General Letitia James in September requesting cooperation on this matter but received no response from her office.
“Attorney General James and her fellow New York Sanctuary politicians are releasing murderers, terrorists, and sexual predators back into our neighborhoods and putting American lives at risk,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “We are calling on Letitia James to stop this dangerous derangement and commit to honoring the ICE arrest detainers of the more than 7,000 criminal illegal aliens in New York’s custody. It is common sense. Criminal illegal aliens should not be released back onto our streets to terrorize more innocent Americans.”
ICE also provided examples of cases involving individuals who were released by local authorities despite active detainers:
- Steven Daniel Henriquez Galicia was arrested for attempted murder and possession of a weapon; he remained at large after release but was later detained by ICE.
- Anderson Smith Satuye-Martinez, identified as a Crips gang member with convictions for assault and weapon possession charges; released locally before being detained by ICE.
- Jose David Hernandez-Hernandez faced charges including rape and assault; released locally before subsequent arrest by ICE.
- Huseyin Aslan was arrested for rape and aggravated criminal contempt; released after sentencing before being detained by ICE.
- Aurellano Garcia Fiorentino was charged with assault and endangering the welfare of a child; after release he was arrested by ICE and removed to Mexico.
- Selman Cevik from Turkey was arrested for menacing and harassment; identified as a Known or Suspected Terrorist but released locally before being detained by ICE.
- Vyacheslav Danilovich Kim had convictions related to child sexual exploitation; local probation refused assistance leading to his eventual arrest by ICE.
- Alexander Moreno Montoya had multiple charges including assault on a police officer; released from Rikers Island before removal from the U.S. by ICE.
- Diego Fernando Huischa admitted past gang affiliation in Ecuador; after his release following robbery charges he was located and removed by ICE.
- Sebastian Jaramillo-Balanta faced multiple criminal charges; released after posting bail then later detained by ICE pending removal proceedings.
- Manuel Rigoberto Tacuri Quishpi had multiple DUI convictions; released despite an active detainer before being re-arrested at his residence by ICE.
- Jesus Romero-Hernandez served time for an assault involving a machete attack; Tompkins County Jail released him despite federal warrants—he has now been removed from the U.S. eight times.
The ongoing disagreement between federal immigration enforcement agencies and local sanctuary policies continues amid concerns about public safety related to individuals who have committed serious crimes.
