New York City officials say a staggering 58,626 immigrants with felony records or criminal charges are roaming freely in the Big Apple, for a total of about 670,000 nationwide, The Post reported. is reacting to shocking new news.
Of the 759,218 illegal border crossers who currently call the five boroughs home, 7.7% have prior convictions or face criminal charges, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data.
But critics have criticized the city for its asylum policy of rounding up and deporting tens of thousands of known criminals by offering them free accommodation, food and even one-way flights anywhere in the world. He claims to have laid a carpet of the highest quality.
Meanwhile, politicians told the Post that the generous benefits and lax enforcement under New York City's sanctuary city policy have reached a breaking point and are laying the blame at the feet of state and federal authorities. he said.
“Kathy Hochul said that when an immigrant breaks the law, the first thing she does is call ICE. She has over 58,000 calls to make,” said a candidate considering running for governor. Congressman Mike Lawler told the Post.
“Kathy Hochul must immediately lift New York's sanctuary state status and fully cooperate with ICE to ensure the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers.”
Mr. Hochul supported the Empire State's existing policies.
“Governor Hochul will continue to enforce the nation's policies to protect law-abiding immigrants while ensuring violent criminals are held accountable,” said Press Secretary Avi Small.
Mayor Eric Adams has frequently called for relaxing sanctuary city rules so that immigrants “suspected” of serious crimes can be turned over to ICE.
But Hizzoner maintains he doesn't have the city council's political support needed to change a controversial law that prohibits New York City law enforcement from cooperating with immigration investigations. , raised his hand.
“The number of immigrant criminals is astronomical and frightening,” said Gerald Kasser, chairman of the New York Conservative Party and a resident of Dyker Heights, Brooklyn.
“We've had enough of this nonsense,” he said of New York state's sanctuary regulations, which coddle criminals and deny them cooperation with federal authorities.
“Sanctuary policies are counterproductive and put New York and America at risk. We need to end this madness of the Biden era. New York City and New York State have supported these failed policies.” told the Post.
This sentiment is not limited to those on the political right.
Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, whose district includes parts of Nassau County and Queens, has been outspoken on the issue and appears to agree to work with President Trump and incoming border czar Tom Homan to resolve the issue. It was.
“I support the deportation of criminals and will work with the next administration to achieve that goal. We will also secure our borders, repair our broken asylum system, and ensure that legal We need to modernize our immigration system,” he told the Post.
The current burden is being borne unevenly among NYPD officers, who are dealing with a sudden influx of unidentified immigrants, some with violent criminal histories, flooding the city. .
“The majority of the people we arrest. Many of them are repeat offenders, and it's even more frustrating because they commit more crimes just by being released from prison, at the expense of the hard-working people who live in our communities.” a Queens police officer told the Post.
But the immigrants themselves shared a different story.
An immigrant man selling food outside the Roosevelt Hotel, which has become a shelter for asylum seekers costing the city hundreds of millions of dollars, declined to give his name but gave his perspective. He said the new arrivals received a bad reputation.
“There are thousands of people in this city, and thousands of them commit crimes. There are also a lot of immigrants who commit crimes, but when something bad happens here, they blame the immigrants. '' he said, claiming that he and his allies were often made into “scapegoats.''
