New York Gov. Kathy Hochul suggested on Jan. 31 that deporting the group of illegal immigrants accused of assaulting two New York Police Department officers who were attempting to break up a disorderly crowd near Times Square “should be looked at.”
Speaking at an event, Ms. Hochul, a Democrat, reiterated calls by some lawmakers that the suspects in the Jan. 27 incident should be deported.
“I mean, if someone commits a crime against a police officer in the state of New York and they’re not here legally, it’s definitely worth checking into,” she added.
“These are law enforcement officers who should never under any circumstances be subjected to physical assault. It’s wrong on all accounts and I’m looking to judges and prosecutors to do the right thing.”
Authorities arrested four people at the scene and charged them with second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer and obstruction of governmental administration.
The alleged assailants were released without bail following their arraignment, a decision that NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell called “reprehensible,” saying the “cowards” should be in jail.
Those who “were arrested should be sitting in Rikers right now on bail. They should be indicted this week and taken off our streets. Do you want to know why our cops are getting assaulted? There are no consequences,” Mr. Chell told reporters during a news conference.
A fifth individual was arrested on Jan. 29 and charged with attempted assault on a police officer and gang assault. On Jan. 31, he was released without bail, giving cameras the middle finger as he exited the courthouse.
On Jan. 31, police arrested two more suspects and charged them with felony assault and robbery.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, meanwhile, acknowledged that it didn’t request bail for the suspects, saying prosecutors are in the process of gathering additional video evidence of the attack.
Republican Leaders Call for Deportation
Ms. Hochul addressed the matter on Jan. 31, in the wake of Republican calls for the “immediate deportation” of all the illegal immigrant suspects connected to the brutal beating.Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), who represents the state’s 11th Congressional District, said in a statement that the attack is a “horrifying example” of why New York City Mayor Erik Adams needs to “put an end to our city’s migrant crisis once and for all.”
“Citizens should not be paying to house ingrates who are wreaking havoc in our city. But instead, the Mayor continues forcing New York City taxpayers to house and provide free services for these thugs, who took advantage of New York’s botched bail law and were released right back onto the street after this attack,” Ms. Malliotakis said.
“As migrants continue to commit crimes all over our city, including murder, stabbings, robberies, prostitution and assault, the city is refusing to cooperate with federal detainer and deportation requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” she added. “Republicans, Democrats & Independents should, at the very least, be able to agree that migrants who assault our police or commit crimes in our country should be deported immediately and have any future immigration application denied.”
The Police Benevolent Association (PBA), the largest police union representing department members, also addressed the attack, denouncing the state’s justice system as it expressed outrage over the suspects being released without bail.
Illegal Immigrants Continue to Flood NYC
New York is a so-called sanctuary city with sanctuary policies, meaning law enforcement officials are limited in their cooperation with federal authorities or in notifying the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about criminal defendants, such as the group recently charged in the attack on the two NYPD officers.Opponents of sanctuary policies argue they have led to increased crime and danger to the public. Supporters of sanctuary policies argue that criminals among illegal immigrants are no more than those found among the general U.S. population.
In December 2023, officials said more than 150,000 illegal immigrants had passed through New York’s shelter system in less than two years, with more than 67,000 who remain in emergency shelters across the city.
Across Manhattan, hotels such as the historic Roosevelt Hotel—many of them within walking distance from Times Square, the World Trade Center memorial site, and the Empire State Building—have been turned into makeshift shelters and temporary housing.
Both Ms. Hochul and Mr. Adams have repeatedly pleaded with the Biden administration for federal help to deal with the city’s influx of illegal immigrants.
