EXCLUSIVE: Federal immigration agents have apprehended an undocumented immigrant accused of assaulting a police officer in New York City, concluding a manhunt that began after his release from local authorities, despite multiple detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Alpha Bah, originally from Guinea, was captured around 3:25 p.m. after ICE officials located him at a temporary residence in New York City, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) representative.
Officers from ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) gathered intelligence on Bah’s whereabouts on Friday and set up surveillance in the area. Interestingly, they did not approach him immediately when they spotted him leaving his residence, primarily because several school-aged children were nearby.
Roughly an hour later, officers saw Bah alone and moved in, displaying their identification. They verified his identity using biographical questions, a photograph, and a biometric identification tool called Mobile Fortify.
Once confirmed, officers informed Bah of an administrative immigration arrest warrant and apprehended him without any incident. He was subsequently taken to 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan for further processing, according to the official.
This arrest follows reports that New York City authorities released Bah despite federal officials requesting to keep him in custody.
Bah had been initially arrested on October 7, facing serious charges including aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest. Despite a detainer filed by ICE with Queens Central Booking, Bah was released without any notification to immigration authorities.
The DHS criticized New York’s sanctuary policies, claiming they enabled Bah’s return to the streets despite the existing immigration detainer. “This illegal alien from Guinea was arrested for assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon. Despite these violent charges, New York City sanctuary politicians refused to honor ICE’s detainer and released him back onto the streets,” remarked DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin in a statement before Friday’s arrest, urging Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani to reconsider their policies to prevent further harm.
