A Mexican migrant convicted of assault, robbery, illegal gun possession and injuring a family member was released by New York City authorities despite a federal request to keep him in custody for immigration proceedings.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer for Alonzo Reyes-Garcia, who also used the alias “Alberto Tellez,” on Oct. 30. The request asked city officials to hold him until federal agents could take custody.
Reyes-Garcia was later released by the Queens District Attorney’s Office, an ICE official said Friday. Representatives for District Attorney Melinda Katz did not respond to a request for comment.
According to internal records first reported by The Post last month, Katz previously directed prosecutors to “exercise extreme caution” and avoid focusing solely on whether charges involving illegal immigrants were classified as “felonies” or “misdemeanors.”
Federal authorities said Reyes-Garcia had convictions for third-degree robbery, third-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree criminal contempt for violating a court order, second-degree aggravated harassment and disorderly conduct.
“Sanctuary politicians in New York refused to honor ICE’s detainer and released this illegal alien back onto the streets, despite his criminal convictions for robbery, assault, and other violent crimes,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement.
“American public servants should be dedicated to protecting American citizens, but these heartless sanctuary politicians are sacrificing safety for political power as they prioritize illegal aliens over hardworking Americans,” Mullin added.
“The Trump Administration will always put the American people first, and we will never stop targeting, arresting, and removing illegal aliens in order to make America safe again.”
A federal immigration judge issued a final removal order for Reyes-Garcia on Oct. 31, 2006. DHS officials said he later re-entered the United States at an unknown time and location.
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DHS estimates that as many as 7.3 million undocumented immigrants were living in the United States as of fiscal year 2026.
New York City is designated a “sanctuary” jurisdiction, meaning local authorities generally limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, signed an executive order after taking office earlier this year directing city officials not to honor ICE requests.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, also signed legislation earlier this year prohibiting coordination between local police and federal immigration authorities.
In response, DHS has issued regular bulletins criticizing what it calls the “Sanctuary Insanity” policies of New York and other jurisdictions.
Two days before ICE issued the detainer for Reyes-Garcia, a targeted enforcement operation in New York led to the arrests of six alleged gang members who were also in the country illegally.
Authorities arrested alleged MS-13 members Jason Hernandez Aguilar and Jose Olbin Argueta Garcia after both were convicted of drug possession. Officials said the men had entered the country illegally and remained despite an immigration judge ordering Garcia’s removal in 2023.
“Gang violence tears families apart, destroys neighborhoods and forces law-abiding Americans to live in fear in their own communities,” acting ICE Director David J. Venturella said in a statement.
“No family should have to worry about their children, and no community should have to surrender its streets to violent criminals,” he added. “We’re taking these dangerous criminal illegal aliens off our streets to make American cities safer for everyone.”
