In a sharply worded statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused New York’s leadership of prioritizing politics over public safety.
“Attorney General Letitia James and her fellow New York sanctuary politicians are releasing murderers, terrorists, and sexual predators back into our neighborhoods and putting American lives at risk,” McLaughlin said.
She added that more than 7,000 additional illegal immigrants with criminal histories remain in New York custody right now, still protected by sanctuary policies that prevent coordination with ICE.
“There are currently 7,113 aliens in the custody of a New York jurisdiction with active ICE detainers,” DHS stated. “The crimes associated with those individuals include 148 homicides, 717 assaults, 134 burglaries, 106 robberies, 235 dangerous drug offenses, 152 weapons violations, and 260 sexual predator crimes.”
“These are not minor offenses. These are extreme violent crimes,” one DHS official said privately. “And New York is releasing them anyway.”
Letitia James Accused of Targeting Sheriffs Who Cooperate With ICE
At the center of the controversy is New York Attorney General Letitia James, whom Republican leaders accuse of aggressively blocking all cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
According to the New York Post, James’s office has opened criminal investigations into multiple county sheriff departments over their alleged cooperation with ICE, including:
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Oswego County Sheriff Don Hilton
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Nassau County Sheriff’s Office
Both offices are reportedly under investigation for alleged misconduct tied to immigration enforcement activities.
Critics say these probes are designed to intimidate local law enforcement into refusing cooperation with ICE under the federal 287(g) program, which allows trained local officers to identify and transfer dangerous illegal immigrants directly into ICE custody.
“This is what radical sanctuary policy looks like,” one former ICE official said. “They’re not just refusing to cooperate — they’re punishing anyone who tries to.”
Rep. Claudia Tenney: “This Is Incomprehensible”
The revelations exploded into national headlines after Rep. Claudia Tenney (R–NY) addressed the issue during a weekend appearance on Fox News with host Kayleigh McEnany, a former Trump White House press secretary.
McEnany reacted with visible disbelief.
“This is incomprehensible to me,” she said. “People that immigration authorities explicitly want detained are just being released right back into the streets of New York?”
Tenney responded bluntly.
“Yes. New York is a sanctuary state, completely run by Democrats,” she said. “Even the governor faces a veto-proof majority in the legislature. Now we’re about to have a pro-sanctuary mayor taking office in January. And the result is thousands of dangerous criminals released every year.”
Tenney warned that the numbers now confirm what many law enforcement officials have been saying for years.
“These are not traffic violators,” she said. “These are people charged with murder, rape, extortion, child sex crimes — everything you can imagine. And they are being released by design.”
Northern Border Security Now a National Security Concern
Tenney also raised alarms about New York’s northern border with Canada, which stretches across her congressional district.
“My entire district is on the Canadian border,” she said. “And under the previous administration, nearly 90 percent of individuals encountered on the terror watch list came across the northern border.”
She added that sanctuary policies make New York a “safe haven state” for criminals who know local law enforcement cannot cooperate with ICE.
“If you’re a criminal alien and you want to avoid deportation, New York is the place to go,” she said.
Federal officials privately confirm that smuggling routes into northern New York have surged over the last several years, overwhelming border patrol resources and straining state infrastructure.
ICE Director Issues Formal Demand to Letitia James
In response to the release data, ICE Director Todd Lyons sent a formal letter directly to Attorney General Letitia James demanding that New York immediately begin honoring ICE detainer requests.
According to ICE, New York’s blanket refusal to cooperate has led to thousands of missed enforcement opportunities, including offenders who later disappeared into communities without supervision.
“These detainers exist for a reason,” one ICE official said. “They allow us to remove individuals safely from custody without having to track them after release. When states ignore them, people vanish.”
Lyons reportedly warned that continued noncompliance could prompt federal legal action or funding consequences, though DHS has not publicly confirmed that step.
How Sanctuary Policy Overrides Federal Law
New York’s sanctuary framework restricts state and local agencies from honoring federal detainers unless there is a judicial warrant — a requirement ICE officials say is legally unnecessary and intentionally obstructive.
Under federal law, ICE detainers function as an administrative request between law enforcement agencies. But New York leadership argues that honoring those detainers without a warrant violates state law.
Critics say that legal argument is merely a shield for ideological resistance.
“This is not about constitutional law,” one former DOJ official said. “It’s about refusing to enforce immigration law on principle — no matter the cost.”
Victims’ Advocates: “This Is a Preventable Disaster”
Victims’ advocacy groups have reacted with outrage to the data, arguing that every released violent offender represents a predictable future crime.
“Every time one of these people commits another violent offense, the state will pretend it had no choice,” one victims’ rights attorney said. “But the paper trail shows these releases were deliberate.”
Advocacy groups representing families affected by illegal immigrant crime are now demanding public hearings, internal audits, and criminal investigations into state officials responsible for enforcement decisions.
Political Battle Lines Are Now Fully Drawn
The clash is rapidly becoming one of the most explosive immigration confrontations of President Trump’s current term.
Trump allies argue that New York’s actions directly sabotage federal enforcement, violate public trust, and prioritize illegal immigrants over American citizens.
Democratic leaders counter that cooperation with ICE undermines immigrant communities and discourages crime reporting.
But critics note the stark reality of the released offenders list, which overwhelmingly consists of individuals accused or convicted of serious violent crimes—not minor infractions.
Federal Officials Warn of Broader National Consequences
DHS officials warn that New York’s actions have national repercussions, not just local ones.
When criminals are released in one state, they can move freely across the country.
“New York is not a bubble,” one federal official said. “If they release violent offenders, those people can show up in any state tomorrow.”
Law enforcement groups warn that sanctuary policy creates “jurisdiction shopping”, where criminal networks deliberately operate in states that refuse ICE cooperation.
A System on the Brink
Internally, law enforcement officials say morale is collapsing.
Local deputies are caught between state political directives and federal enforcement obligations, often forced to release offenders they know will be taken by ICE moments later if allowed.
“It’s soul-crushing,” one county officer said. “We’re arresting rapists, murderers, armed traffickers — and then being ordered to let them go.”
What Happens Next
With nearly 7,000 dangerous individuals already released and over 7,000 more still shielded in custody, the standoff between federal and state government is approaching a breaking point.
Possible next steps now include:
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Federal lawsuits against New York
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Congressional investigations into sanctuary enforcement
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Possible funding penalties tied to DOJ and DHS grants
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Expanded ICE operations in non-sanctuary jurisdictions
For now, neither side is backing down.
Final Reality
This is no longer a theoretical debate over immigration philosophy.
These are documented violent offenders.
These are confirmed detainer refusals.
These are real crimes, real victims, and real consequences.
And at the center of it all is one unavoidable question:
How many more violent crimes must occur before enforcement overrides ideology?
Emily Johnson is a critically acclaimed essayist and novelist known for her thought-provoking works centered on feminism, women’s rights, and modern relationships. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Emily grew up with a deep love of books, often spending her afternoons at her local library. She went on to study literature and gender studies at UCLA, where she became deeply involved in activism and began publishing essays in campus journals. Her debut essay collection, Voices Unbound, struck a chord with readers nationwide for its fearless exploration of gender dynamics, identity, and the challenges faced by women in contemporary society. Emily later transitioned into fiction, writing novels that balance compelling storytelling with social commentary. Her protagonists are often strong, multidimensional women navigating love, ambition, and the struggles of everyday life, making her a favorite among readers who crave authentic, relatable narratives. Critics praise her ability to merge personal intimacy with universal themes. Off the page, Emily is an advocate for women in publishing, leading workshops that encourage young female writers to embrace their voices. She lives in Seattle with her partner and two rescue cats, where she continues to write, teach, and inspire a new generation of storytellers.
