Outrage Over Immigration Detention in NYC
New York City’s Mayor Zoran Mamdani has expressed his strong disapproval regarding the detention of a City Council employee accused of overstaying his visa, particularly following his alleged involvement in an assault.
The individual, identified as Rafael Andres Rubio Bojorquez, 53, was detained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as reported on Monday.
In a post on social media, Mamdani stated, “I am outraged to hear that a New York City Council employee was detained by federal immigration agents during a routine immigration check in Nassau County. This is an attack on our democracy, our city, and our values. I am calling for his immediate release and will continue to monitor the situation.”
Federal sources, however, assert that Rubio Bojorquez overstayed his 2017 tourist visa and faced arrest due to the assault accusations.
City Council President Julie Menin claimed, “He had legal permission to be in the United States until October of this year,” but a DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, countered that he had, in fact, “no legal right to be in the United States. Illegal aliens who are criminals are not welcome in the United States. If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will seek you out and arrest you.”
Menin further contended that the State Department indicated the man was attending required court appearances when he was detained.
Reports indicate that Rubio Bojorquez, a Venezuelan national, worked as a data analyst for the city council. According to the information, he entered the U.S. on a B-2 tourist visa in 2017, which required him to exit by October 22 of that year. His situation is complicated by having no work authorization and a criminal history that includes an assault charge.
Currently, he is being held at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Manhattan. Additionally, McLaughlin previously mentioned that sanctuary cities are reportedly housing over 7,000 known criminal illegal aliens, which has been a focus for the Trump administration, targeting crimes committed by undocumented individuals.
Amid these developments, Mamdani, who committed to protecting the rights of undocumented immigrants in New York City, criticized the Trump administration’s approach. He emphasized that any collaboration with federal immigration efforts would tarnish the city’s moral standing and advocated for strengthening sanctuary city laws.
Breitbart News also highlighted that Mamdani has previously instructed undocumented immigrants on how to interact with ICE agents.
