Noem Criticizes Adams Over Sanctuary City Policy Following Shooting Incident
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem criticized Mayor Eric Adams on Monday regarding New York City’s Sanctuary City laws. This came after an illegal immigrant allegedly shot a U.S. customs and border officer.
Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, a 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic with a lengthy criminal record in New York, was taken into custody alongside another suspected illegal immigrant. The pair is accused of ambushing the officer and his friends at Fort Washington Park in Manhattan late Saturday.
The identity of the second suspect has not been disclosed yet. Nunez, who was injured when Customs and Border Protection agents fired during what they believed was a robbery attempt, was apprehended after showing up at a Bronx hospital, according to authorities.
Noem expressed frustration towards Adams, highlighting that Nunez had previously been arrested at least four times in New York but had been released without bail each time.
“There’s absolutely no reason why people like this should be on the streets of New York City,” Noem stated after her visit to the injured officer at the hospital. “This officer is in the hospital today, fighting for his life because of the policies of the mayor and the city council.”
She noted that the officer’s family was “suffering” due to the city’s Sanctuary policy, saying, “It breaks my heart to see families affected by his policies.” Under the Sanctuary City framework, the NYPD is restricted from collaborating with federal immigration authorities on civil matters.
The details regarding the second suspect remain unclear, though Noem referred to him as an illegal immigrant. It’s uncertain when he entered the U.S.
In the meantime, Nunez reportedly crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in April 2023. Noem emphasized, “This individual was arrested multiple times before this incident, yet kept getting released. What did we expect would happen? When dangerous people avoid consequences, it creates a situation that could have been prevented.”
