US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 2,197 illegal immigrants in New York during a month-long operation, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Tuesday.Operation Rotten Apple was conducted across New York state from July 27 to August 29. DHS said those arrested included individuals with criminal records involving murder, rape, kidnapping, drug trafficking and assault.US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the operation had helped make New York safer while accusing state and city officials of failing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.“Over the course of this operation, we arrested murderers, rapists, pedophiles, drug traffickers, and violent assailants,” Mullin said at a press conference in New York City.DHS said several of those arrested had serious criminal records. They included Bogdan Detrovich Gren from Ukraine, who has convictions for kidnapping resulting in death, weapons possession and murder.Other arrests included Andreas Bernal Chiquito from Colombia, who had been arrested in cases involving sexual conduct with a child, and Noel Celestino Lopez Martinez from Mexico, who had been arrested on a first-degree rape charge.The department also identified Palvinder Singh from India, who it said had a rape conviction in Germany, and Carlos Mendez-Acosta from Venezuela, who had a rape conviction.DHS said people from Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Sierra Leone, Honduras and Vietnam were also among those arrested. Their criminal records included allegations or convictions related to drug trafficking, heroin distribution, burglary, assault, drug possession and theft.Border czar Tom Homan also praised the operation and criticised New York’s sanctuary policies, saying they prevent local authorities from cooperating with federal immigration officers.ICE officials said the operation focused on individuals considered public safety threats and that federal immigration laws would continue to be enforced across New York.DHS also accused New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of backing policies that limit cooperation with ICE.The department claimed that 13,621 criminal illegal immigrants had been released from New York jails because of these policies. However, DHS did not provide a detailed breakdown supporting that figure in its press release.
