Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, a Democrat, has altered her position on the border crisis, suggesting that the state should consider deporting a group of migrants who, despite facing charges for attacking two police officers in Times Square, were released on bail.
In a report by Daily Mail on February 1, 2024, Hochul addressed the issue at an event on Wednesday, stating, “We should consider deporting individuals like them.”
The four men initially charged with various offenses, including Assault on a Police Officer, were released without bail, while a fifth, 22-year-old Jhoan Boada, faced additional charges after being arrested on Monday night.
“I think that’s actually something that should be looked at,” responded Hochul, despite previously emphasizing New York as a welcoming place for migrants and supporting controversial sanctuary city and state laws.
“I mean, if someone commits a crime against a police officer in the state of New York and they’re not here legally, it’s definitely worth checking into,” she affirmed.
Governor Hochul added, “These are law enforcement officers who should never under any circumstances be subjected to physical assault. It’s wrong on all accounts, and I’m looking to judges and prosecutors to do the right thing.”
Her statements followed expressions of anger from Republican elected officials regarding the attacks.
“The city is refusing to cooperate with federal detainer and deportation requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” stated Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican Congresswoman representing Staten Island.
“Republicans, Democrats & Independents should, at the very least, be able to agree that migrants who assault our police or commit crimes in our country should be deported immediately and have any future immigration application denied,” she emphasized.
NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell condemned the attack as “reprehensible” and asserted that the migrants belonged in jail.
Even New York City’s Democratic Mayor Eric Adams acknowledged the need to explore deportation, saying, “Those migrants who are here because they want to be part of the American dream, we say ‘yes’ to that,” on Wednesday.
“But those who are breaking our laws, we need to reexamine the laws that don’t allow us to deport them because they are doing violent acts. We cannot create an atmosphere where you’re going to bring violence into our city.”
The incident unfolded around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday night on West 42nd Street when the pair of police officers instructed the quartet of men to move along.
A confrontation ensued between a suspect in a yellow sweatshirt and the officers, leading to an escalating fight.
According to the NYPD, the migrants then attacked the officers, kicking them in the head and body as the two officers attempted to subdue another man, tearing off his sweatshirt.
The migrants fled the scene, leaving the unidentified police officers on the ground, while they escaped east on 42nd Street toward Seventh Avenue.
At approximately 10:44 p.m. that night, four individuals – Darwin Andres Gomez Izquiel, 19, Kelvin Servat Arocha, 19, Juarez Wilson, 21, and Yorman Reveron, 24 – were apprehended.
They faced charges of Assault on a Police Officer, Gang Assault, Obstructing Governmental Administration, and Disorderly Conduct but were subsequently released without bail.
Jhoan Boada, 22, arrested Monday night, faced charges of Attempted Assault on a Police Officer and Gang Assault, being perp walked into Manhattan Criminal Court.
Three of the men, Izquiel, Arocha, and Wilson, 21, were released on recognizance, while Reveron, 24, was granted supervised release without bail.
Boada was also released Wednesday evening due to a lack of criminal history. However, the DA’s office is now investigating additional footage not available during the initial arraignment.
The DA’s spokesperson emphasized, “Violence against police officers is never acceptable,” and stated the importance of conclusively identifying each defendant and specifying their roles in the incident.
All defendants face felony charges carrying a penalty of up to seven years.
Reveron, the eldest, has two open cases for assault and robbery in Manhattan, including an incident at Nordstrom Rack in November and an alleged assault at Herald Square Macy’s while attempting a robbery with two other suspects.
