New York City officials are refusing to turn over an illegal immigrant accused of setting a woman on fire inside a subway station, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She denounced the city’s decision to shield the suspect despite a detainer request from federal immigration authorities.
Noem traveled to the site of the attack, describing it as an example of what happens when cities refuse to work with federal law enforcement. She pointed out that the suspect first entered the country illegally in 2018, was deported under Trump’s administration, but later reentered and lived in New York for over a year under sanctuary policies.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem reveals New York is PROTECTING the criminal illegal alien who BURNED an American ALIVE on the subway:
"ICE lodged a detainer for this individual that burned this woman alive and the Department of Corrections in this city won’t turn him over." pic.twitter.com/vYgTGQvF69
— Western Decline (@WesternDecline_) March 7, 2025
The suspect was able to access resources provided to illegal immigrants while remaining in the city unnoticed. Noem stated that these policies attract dangerous individuals to New York, knowing they won’t be handed over to federal authorities, even if they commit violent crimes.
ICE requested that the suspect be transferred into federal custody, but the New York City Department of Corrections refused to comply, keeping him in the city’s jurisdiction. Noem said the decision puts more lives at risk, calling on Hochul and Adams to act immediately.
She urged Hochul to rescind the state’s sanctuary policies and allow law enforcement to cooperate with ICE. She also demanded that Adams and the city council take responsibility for the impact of their policies.
Trump has backed legal action against New York for its failure to work with federal immigration enforcement, arguing that the city’s policies have created a public safety crisis.
