New York Refuses 16,070 ICE Detainers Linked to 52,503 Crimes, Including 131 Homicides

The Department of Homeland Security released data Monday showing that New York state and local authorities refused to honor 16,070 Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers between January 20, 2025, and October 8, 2026. Those unhonored detainers are associated with 52,503 criminal charges and convictions.

The breakdown includes 131 homicides, 132 kidnappings, 1,017 sexual offenses, 9,502 assaults, 4,324 dangerous drug offenses, 2,198 weapons offenses, 1,776 robberies, 1,631 burglaries, and 1,561 DUIs, according to the DHS release. Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated: “We enforce these laws with no help from Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul. The Trump Administration is committed to protecting the American people in every city and every state, and we won’t let sanctuary politicians stand in our way.”

The figures cover requests that local jails hold removable noncitizens for up to 48 hours so ICE can take custody. New York officials have long limited cooperation under sanctuary policies. Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation in May 2026 restricting local law-enforcement partnerships with ICE; it took effect in late August. Hochul’s office responded that the state notifies federal authorities of noncitizens serving state prison sentences and called the DHS characterization a misrepresentation.

DHS linked the data release to last week’s ICE operation in the Bronx in which an officer fired after a Dominican national accelerated a vehicle toward agents with a child inside. The department also cited a separate recent stabbing of an off-duty NYPD detective by two men who had prior arrests. Earlier DHS notices to New York, California, and Illinois in 2025 warned of consequences for non-cooperation.

ICE detainers are civil administrative requests, not criminal warrants. Sanctuary jurisdictions argue they protect community trust and limit local resources for federal immigration enforcement. Federal officials counter that the policies result in the release of individuals with serious criminal records into communities. The 16,070 figure is cumulative across the state since the start of the current administration and does not represent a single-day total.

The data arrives as midterm campaigns highlight immigration enforcement and as New York City’s mayor has publicly demanded an end to ICE operations in the city. Additional details on specific cases and any legal challenges to the sanctuary restrictions are expected in coming days.