A second undocumented immigrant was detained in connection with the shooting of an off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer in New York City over the weekend, during an attempted robbery, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday.
Noem visited the CBP officer in the hospital, and blamed sanctuary policies for playing a role in the attack.
The off-duty officer was reportedly shot in the face and forearm in Manhattan’s Fort Washington Park on Saturday night. Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, a Dominican national who had been apprehended by Border Patrol in April 2023, was arrested following the incident.
“It’s completely unacceptable for someone as dangerous as this to be roaming the streets of New York City,” Noem told reporters Monday regarding Nunez. “Despite being arrested four different times in New York City, he was let go due to the mayor’s policies and sanctuary city rules, putting the citizens of this city at risk.”
“We were able to bring the second individual in and have detained him as well, and he will face consequences and hopefully strong prosecution for his crimes and his involvement on Saturday night,” she added. Noem identified that suspect as Christhian Aybar-Berroa, an illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic who “entered the country illegally in 2022 under the Biden Administration and was ordered for final removal in 2023 by an immigration judge.”
After being apprehended at the Arizona border, Nunez was released into the U.S., though he still has an active deportation order.
“We should not be here today. The reason these two assailants are inside the United States today is because of failed border policies by the Biden administration,” CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said Monday.
“I visited the officer last night, of course, he was heavily sedated, so I didn’t have words with him,” added White House border czar Tom Homan. “But I did talk to his family. They’re devastated. It’s just — it’s just a shock to the soul when you walk in and see that young man laying there.”
“Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals. President Trump is not going to tolerate it,” Homan warned.
“Sanctuary city policies and the Biden administration’s open border policies allowed two criminal illegal aliens to enter this country, roam free and commit multiple crimes with no repercussions,” acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said. “It is clear these criminal aliens have no respect for laws or, quite frankly, for life. ICE’s mission remains to remove this exact type of heinous criminal from our streets, and it will continue to do just that.”
Adams, when asked about Noem’s remarks Monday, said “I have nothing to do with the rules that are put in place. I just carry out the rules.”
“When you do an analysis of this case, we arrest people, the courts determine if they’re going to stay in jail or not. This person has been part of a revolving door criminal justice system and allowed to get back onto the streets,” the mayor said.
“I’m very clear. Always have been clear. Stop the revolving door system,” Adams also said. “Go after the dangerous migrants and asylum seekers who are here. And allow hardworking people who are in this city to go on with their lives as they go through the process.”
President Donald Trump weighed in on the shooting Sunday afternoon, writing that “an incredible CBP Officer was shot in the face by an Illegal Alien Monster freed into the Country under Joe Biden.”
“The CBP Officer bravely fought off his attacker, despite his wounds, demonstrating enormous Skill and Courage,” Trump wrote.
