The New York Police Department is reportedly cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement despite a promise from Mayor Bill de Blasio that it would maintain a sanctuary policy.
The NYPD supposedly alerts Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to criminal court appearances of illegal immigrants that are subject to deportation, according to the New York Daily News.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed a law into effect in 2014 that dramatically reduces New York City’s cooperation with ICE. The policy prohibits law enforcement from honoring ICE detainer requests – except for those convicted of “violent of serious crimes.”
Regardless, the NYPD will contact ICE if they discover that an illegal immigrant is facing deportation while in the process of verifying warrants against the defendant.
David Gonzalez, 51, for example, had been previously deported but re-entered the United States and face charges of allegedly “rubbing against a woman.”
The City did not comply with an ICE order to detain Gonzalez, but rather “notified ICE” of his arrest and after a judge released him, he was immediately taken into federal custody.
Advocates for New York City to remain a “sanctuary city,” were reportedly upset to learn that the NYPD is working with ICE, calling it “collusion.”
The co-founder and deputy director of Queens Law Associates, Lori Zeno, said, “I think it really is outrageous. We’re supposed to be a sanctuary city … Cooperating with ICE is one thing … But to me they seem to be in collusion with ICE.”
Austin Finan, a spokesman for Mayor de Blasio, didn’t deny that the NYPD and ICE communicate on a regular basis. “NYPD notifies and confirms with all inquiring and arresting agencies the status of an arrestee who may be the subject of a warrant,” said Finan.
Ryan Saavedra is a contributor for Breitbart Texas and can be found on Twitter at @RealSaavedra.
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