“Should’ve Been Deported"- DHS Blames NYC Sanctuary Policy for Shooting of Federal Agent
DHS Secretary directly blames NYC sanctuary laws after off‑duty CBP officer wounded, undocumented suspects with criminal records are in custody
NEW YORK, NY — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday squarely faulted New York City officials and “sanctuary city policies” for enabling the weekend shooting of a 42-year-old off-duty Customs and Border Protection officer near Riverside Park by the George Washington Bridge. She said the policies allowed undocumented suspects with extensive criminal histories to remain on city streets, culminating in this near-fatal encounter.
The officer, off duty and wearing civilian clothing, is now in stable condition and expected to recover, according to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Police found no evidence suggesting he was targeted because of his occupation.
The incident unfolded just before midnight Sunday. The officer sat with a companion when two individuals on a moped approached. One assailant attempted robbery, prompting the CBP officer to draw his service weapon, Tisch explained. Both the suspect and the officer fired. The officer suffered wounds to his face and arm. The suspect was grazed before fleeing on the moped.
Police identified Miguel Mora, age 21, an undocumented immigrant with an extensive criminal history, as a person of interest. Mora was later admitted to a Bronx hospital with gunshot injuries to his groin and leg, and then taken into custody. Tisch noted that hospitals had been alerted to watch for gunshot victims, aiding in Mora's identification.
Later Monday, Secretary Noem confirmed that authorities arrested Mora’s alleged accomplice, Cristian Aybar Berroa, also undocumented and known to have a criminal record reminiscent of Mora’s.
Federal prosecutors are expected to file charges against the two men, although details of any indictments have not been released.
Mora reportedly entered the U.S. illegally in Arizona during 2023. Aybar crossed the border around June 19, 2022, per a DHS release. Two unnamed senior law enforcement sources shared with CNN that Mora’s criminal history includes assault of a pregnant woman and a January stabbing. He was also linked to an armed pawn shop robbery in Massachusetts. Authorities are investigating whether the weapon used in the Riverside Park attack matches that stolen in the Massachusetts incident.
Aybar’s criminal record includes reckless endangerment and felony grand larceny charges from 2023 and 2024. Despite an active ICE detainer, he allegedly was released after arrest last April. In June, he pleaded guilty to petit larceny at Bronx County Supreme Court. “This plea was made in consolidation of all his previous arrests, and he was conditionally discharged and allowed to roam the streets of NYC,” DHS reported.
Drawing attention to the suspects’ criminal histories, Secretary Noem targeted New York City’s criminal justice system and sanctuary policies. “He was arrested four different times in New York City,” Noem stated, “and because of the mayor’s policies and sanctuary city policies, was released back to do harm to people and to individuals living in this city.”
She urged that sanctuary city leaders across the nation reassess these policies. Although she offered no specifics on what changes would have prevented the attack, she asserted, “This individual should have been deported and never been in this country.”
Former Trump administration border czar Tom Homan echoed Noem’s criticism to stern effect: “Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals,” he asserted. “Full stop.”
Mayor Eric Adams pushed back on the notion that his sanctuary policy caused the event, emphasizing that his office operates within the broader justice system. “I just carry out the rules,” he remarked. The mayor supported increasing federal law enforcement presence in New York, provided efforts focus on dangerous individuals, not on “everyday individuals who are trying to complete the path to be a citizen.”
Adams stated he visited the injured officer in the hospital Sunday, where the man was surrounded by grateful loved ones. The mayor called the attack “extremely angering” and insisted, “that person should have not been on our streets.”
Despite a fractured jaw and a bullet lodged in his throat, the officer has been communicating nonverbally, according to senior law enforcement officials, remaining conscious and responsive to hospital staff.
On social media, former President Trump called the shooting a blatant example of the consequences of lax border enforcement: “The CBP Officer bravely fought off his attacker, despite his wounds, demonstrating enormous Skill and Courage,” Trump posted.
Federal authorities have lately expressed concern that agents involved in immigration enforcement face threats, prompting some to conceal their identities. “If that’s a tool that the men and women of ICE (use) that keeps themselves and their families safe, then I will allow it,” said ICE acting Director Todd Lyons.
Why This Incident Matters
This shooting has ignited a charged debate over sanctuary policies, criminal justice practices, and public safety in urban centers. Advocates for sanctuary status argue these measures are vital for maintaining trust within immigrant communities. Critics, including Secretary Noem, cite this incident as proof that such protections may shield dangerous individuals from legal consequences.
As New York and other sanctuary cities weigh policy reforms, this case places a spotlight on how cities balance inclusivity with prosecuting serious criminal offenders.
Community leaders from both sides await federal charges. Meanwhile, public trust in safety initiatives, immigrant advocacy, and law enforcement accountability remains on edge.