Recently, in Brooklyn’s Coney Island, there were two cases of undocumented immigrants raping women with a knife. The suspects had a history of sexual assault and were undocumented immigrants who had been released just two months prior, sparking strong criticism of New York City’s sanctuary city policy once again.
The rape suspect in the Coney Island case, Daniel Davon-Bonilla, crossed into the United States in 2022 and was arrested in 2023 for sexually assaulting another woman at an immigration shelter in Brooklyn. He served over a year in prison, and in June of this year, after admitting to the serious charges, he was released after completing his time served. Shortly after his release, he committed another rape on the streets of New York City.
Media reports indicate that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had issued an arrest warrant for him and notified New York City. However, due to New York’s sanctuary city laws, local agencies are prohibited from cooperating with ICE on immigration matters. Therefore, ICE was not informed when the suspect was released. A spokesperson for ICE stated that they only learned of the suspect’s release from a report in the New York Post.
This case has once again brought criticism of New York’s sanctuary city law to the forefront.
On August 13, John Chell, a patrolling chief in the New York City Police Department, posted on a social media platform, questioning when they would amend their sanctuary city law to allow for notifying federal authorities and deporting non-citizens involved in violent crimes. He expressed concern that without action, individuals like Daniel Davon-Bonilla would continue to harm women in the city.
Chell also noted that Davon-Bonilla’s repeat offense was a result of New York’s “criminal justice system working— he was convicted, sentenced, and released in June 2024.”
Councilman Robert Holden also criticized New York’s sanctuary city law in a statement, attributing it to the city’s reluctance to cooperate with ICE to protect community safety, leaving them vulnerable to harm from individuals who should be deported. He questioned why more criminals are being allowed to roam freely in the city when there are already enough offenders, calling for an end to the madness in New York City.
Currently, Daniel Davon-Bonilla faces charges of first-degree rape, second-degree assault, first-degree sexual abuse, threats, and illegal possession of a weapon.
In recent years, a large influx of immigrants has poured into New York, with some undocumented immigrants exploiting legal loopholes to continue committing crimes. Cases of apprehension, release, and reoffending are not uncommon, ranging from rape to shootings, robberies, and assaults.
In June of this year, Councilman Holden and others proposed a new bill, “Intro 945,” aimed at abolishing the so-called “sanctuary city” law approved by former Mayor Bill de Blasio between 2014 and 2018.
The New York sanctuary city law prohibits the city’s police department, correctional department, and probation department from cooperating with ICE unless the case involves suspected terrorists or serious public safety risks.
Holden stated that “The sanctuary city law prevents the NYPD and DOC from cooperating with ICE, putting all New Yorkers, including immigrants and long-term residents, in danger.”
Currently, Intro 945 has been shelved. Additionally, the proposal to abolish the sanctuary city law was expected to be put to a public vote by the Charter Revision Commission but was canceled in July of this year.