On Saturday, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) criticized New York State Attorney General Letitia James, claiming she has disregarded ICE detainers and has released around 7,000 undocumented immigrants who have criminal records in New York City, as reported by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
During a segment on “Saturday in America,” host Kayleigh McEnany sought lawmakers’ reactions, highlighting that this situation unfolded ahead of the new mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani’s term, which begins January 1st. Tenney remarked, “This is a sanctuary state, entirely controlled by Democrats. The governor faces a veto-proof majority, and soon we’ll have a pro-sanctuary mayor starting January 1st. Nearly 7,000 individuals with serious criminal backgrounds—murder, manslaughter, rape, extortion—are among those released.” She noted that the frequency of child sex crime cases coming into the state has risen this year.
Critics are cautioning that the Democratic-backed Dignity Act may strip detention powers and hinder immigration enforcement.
Tenney continued, “Letitia James has been warned but seems unconcerned. She’s even targeting local governments that want to cooperate with the 287(g) program,” which allows local law enforcement to issue warrants for undocumented immigrants already detained for other crimes and coordinate with ICE.
She explained further how these legal matters affect voters in upstate New York. “In my district (New York 24), the Canadian border is practically my entire northern border. Almost 90% of those on the foreign terrorist watch list under President Biden are crossing through there. It’s a risky area, especially in a state like New York that provides sanctuary,” Tenney warned.
DHS has requested that Attorney General James take responsibility for how New York City manages illegal immigration.
DHS indicated that since January 20, 6,947 undocumented individuals with criminal backgrounds have been released due to New York City’s lack of compliance with ICE detainers. An additional 7,000 are reportedly held in various jurisdictions in New York.
In a letter to Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE, James stated that her office does not generally accept detainer requests because they seldom take individuals into custody. The varied responses to detainer requests across different New York agencies lead to different legal practices, which James claimed she cannot manage as Attorney General.
Overall, it appears there’s a complicated interplay between state and federal law when it comes to immigration enforcement in New York, with criticism directed at those perceived as undermining these efforts.
