On Wednesday, June 17, Republican congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis from New York, together with Ken Genalo, the local director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), held a press conference at their office in Federal Plaza 26 in Manhattan. They criticized New York State and City’s “sanctuary policies” for obstructing federal law enforcement, leading to undocumented immigrants with violent crime records not being timely deported, thus posing threats to public safety.
On the other hand, Democratic officials who support sanctuary policies believe that local governments should not act as extensions of federal immigration enforcement agencies and emphasize immigrants’ rights to due legal process.
The debate surrounding immigration enforcement and public safety is escalating in both local and congressional elections.
During the press conference, Malliotakis stated that she is the “only” member in New York City’s congressional delegation who supports increased funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and ICE.
“As our city prepares for major events such as hosting the World Cup, the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation, and the 25th anniversary of commemorating 9/11, federal law enforcement officers should receive more support,” Malliotakis bluntly stated, “because they are engaged in very important work.”
She also announced the introduction of the “Federal Halo Act,” which proposes a 15-foot safety buffer zone for federal law enforcement officers during their tasks to prevent interference from protesters or activists.
Malliotakis criticized the new law signed by Governor Hochul of New York, which further restricts cooperation between local governments and federal immigration authorities, making it harder for ICE to track and arrest undocumented immigrants with criminal records.
She cited several recent high-profile cases, including an undocumented immigrant who had been deported four times, had more than ten criminal convictions, and was charged with pushing 83-year-old Air Force veteran Richard Williams to his death at a subway platform. Other undocumented immigrant suspects involved in child rape, robbery, and murder cases were not handed over to federal authorities during detention but were released back into the community.
“These tragedies could have been prevented,” Malliotakis said, “the state government is not thinking about how to collaborate with the federal government to protect residents but is further tying the hands of law enforcement officers.”
ICE’s local director, Ken Genalo, stated that federal law grants ICE the authority to detain and deport undocumented immigrants, but New York’s sanctuary policies have made this work increasingly difficult.
He explained that ICE’s detainer requests only require local law enforcement agencies to notify federal officials when a suspect is about to be released so they can take custody of them in a secure environment.
However, many law enforcement agencies in New York refuse to cooperate, forcing ICE to send 8 to 10 agents into the community to search for the same suspect, a task that could have been completed with just one or two officers. Genalo told our reporter that due to New York’s lack of cooperation, “thousands” of criminals are being released.
When asked about specific measures New York has taken to restrict ICE, Genalo mentioned that New York had canceled the 287(g) cooperation program between local police and ICE and requested the cancellation of contracts for providing local detention facilities for ICE.
“So we have nowhere to detain people we arrest locally. What does that mean? We won’t stop arresting, so these people will be sent to prisons in other states across the country,” Genalo said.
During the press conference, ICE also presented a group of recent cases of arrested undocumented immigrants, including individuals convicted of rape, child sexual abuse, manslaughter, child molestation, and domestic violence offenses.
Genalo said, “Sanctuary policies do not protect communities; they only make it easier for criminals to hide.”
The Democratic camp supporting sanctuary policies holds a different view. Governor Hochul, when passing the budget law banning local police cooperation with ICE, stated that the federal government initially aimed to target the “worst, most evil criminals,” but in the end, they targeted students, parents on their way to work, and people attending court to comply with rules.
According to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University in February 2026, 70% of immigrants arrested and detained by ICE had no criminal convictions.
Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is currently running for the 10th Congressional District seat, has long criticized the federal government for expanding immigration enforcement in recent years. He has visited the Manhattan Federal Immigration Court several times to support immigrants appearing in court.
Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled that Lander’s protest activities outside the Manhattan federal court last year “did not constitute obstructing official business,” finding him not guilty.
Following the ruling, Lander stated that the core value of the American legal system is to safeguard the rights of “every person,” not just citizens. He believes that many immigrants enter deportation procedures without legal assistance, making it easy for them to lose the opportunity for fair hearings.
Sanctuary cities controlled by the Democratic Party argue that the primary responsibility of local governments is to maintain community trust, not to enforce federal immigration law.