Arrest blasted by Mamdani involved illegal alien with assault record, feds say

Following New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s outrage over the arrest of a Metropolis Council worker, the Division of Homeland Safety introduced that the arrested particular person is an unlawful immigrant with a earlier arrest for assault.

Based on DHS, the worker, Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez, 53, is a “legal unlawful alien” from Venezuela. The company mentioned that regardless of being employed by town council of America’s largest metropolis, Rubio Bohorquez doesn’t have a piece allow and was employed illegally.

Moreover, DHS mentioned Rubio Bohorquez has a legal historical past, together with an arrest for assault in New York.

Rubio Bohorquez entered the US in 2017 on a B2 vacationer visa, forcing him to depart the identical yr, based on DHS.

NOEM SAYS ZOHRAN MAMDANI MAY ‘VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION’ WITH ADVICE ON evading ICE AGENTS

DHS mentioned the New York Metropolis Council worker Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez, arrested by the corporate, is a Venezuelan unlawful immigrant with a legal historical past. (DHS)

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin known as the truth that “an unauthorized legal unlawful alien” was employed by the New York Metropolis Council “surprising.”

“This takes the sanctuary metropolis to an entire new degree,” McLaughlin mentioned.

“This legal unlawful alien shouldn’t be licensed to remain within the US and has beforehand been arrested for assault. Below President Trump and Secretary Noem, the US is now not a protected haven for criminals.”

Mamdani and different metropolis leaders demanded the person’s launch on Monday.

“I’m outraged to be taught {that a} New York Metropolis Council worker in Nassau County was detained by federal immigration officers throughout a routine immigration appointment,” Mamdani wrote in an announcement about X.

DHS DEMANDS LETITIA JAMES TO TAKE ACTION AFTER NEW YORK’S REFUSAL TO HONOR ICE DETAINERS

New York Metropolis Mayor Zohran Mamdani was elected in November 2025 and sworn in as town’s first socialist mayor on January 1, 2026. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Photographs)

He known as the arrest “an assault on our democracy, on our metropolis and our values. I name for his instant launch and can proceed to observe the state of affairs.”

New York Metropolis Council Speaker Julie Menin held a press convention Monday demanding the employee’s launch. She claimed that the worker had been allowed to remain within the US till October 2026.

Nevertheless, DHS claims he isn’t licensed to even keep within the US

“DHS confirmed that this worker got here in for a routine court docket appointment and was detained anyway. They supplied no different foundation for his detention,” Menin mentioned throughout a press convention on Monday. “Quite the opposite, he was a municipal worker who did all the pieces proper. When he was requested to take action, he went to court docket.”

NOEM REPORTS MAMDANI, DHS TALKS HAVE ‘BEEN NOT PRODUCTIVE’, SAYS NYC MAYOR ‘CHOOSE ILLEGALS’

New York AG Letitia James with New York Metropolis Mayor Zohran Mamdani. (Getty)

Menin mentioned the worker works as a knowledge analyst and has held the place for a couple of yr.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

New York Legal professional Common Letitia James supported requires the employee’s launch later Monday.

A spokesperson for James shared an announcement from James saying, “We is not going to tolerate assaults on our metropolis, its officers and its residents.”

Fox Information Digital additionally reached out to Mamdani and the New York Metropolis Council for remark however didn’t instantly obtain a response.

Anders Hagstrom of Fox Information Digital contributed to this report.