Corrections Department Violates Sanctuary City Rules, Report Reveals
A recent report has indicated that the city’s Department of Corrections breached New York’s “sanctuary city” policies by enabling investigative actions that could lead to the deportation of undocumented immigrants. This situation arose when staff mistakenly informed federal immigration officers about the release of illegal immigrant inmates.
The report, released by the Ministry of Investigation, stated that this lapse occurred because personnel, perhaps unknowingly, allowed information to flow in a way that contravenes city regulations designed to limit cooperation with ICE in deportation matters.
The findings pointed out that city laws and department policies explicitly prohibit using city resources to enforce federal immigration laws. This includes sharing information with federal entities regarding deportation efforts.
According to the report, there were at least two instances where corrections investigators inadvertently violated these regulations. The specifics of how this “unconscious” assistance was given were not fully elaborated upon.
Details from the 68-page report reveal that members of a federal task force had been informed about Pedro Muzica Villa Nueva, an undocumented immigrant who was facing charges related to assault and grand theft. He was reported to be in custody on Rikers Island.
In a separate case, investigators provided federal agents with information regarding Villa Nueva, including details from his court cases and identifying photographs.
Additionally, on February 5th, the report notes that assistance was provided to Christian Concepcion, another undocumented immigrant, in his detention process.
Concepcion, having been convicted of third-degree assault, is soon to be released, according to the findings.
In light of the report, officials from the Department of Corrections have acknowledged the recommendations put forth by the DOI and stated that many of these measures are already being implemented.
A department spokesperson noted, “We have actively taken steps to ensure compliance with sanctuary city requirements, including enhancing training for our staff.” They added that ongoing training opportunities will be integrated into the departmental curriculum.
