New York’s sanctuary policies didn’t stop ICE.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 2,197 illegal migrants across New York between July 27 and Aug. 29 in a monthlong operation dubbed “Operation Rotten Apple,” according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Among those taken into custody were migrants with convictions or arrests tied to murder, rape, kidnapping, child sexual offenses and drug trafficking.
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Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the sweep was carried out “with no help” from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani or Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“Operation Rotten Apple did what sanctuary politicians in New York City and the state of New York refuse to do: made the Empire State safer,” Mullin said.
“We won’t let sanctuary politicians stand in our way.”
🚨 JUST IN: DHS’ Operation ROTTEN APPLE just resulted in the arrest of thousands of illegal aliens in Democrat-run New York as Kathy Hochul BANS local police from working with ICE
2,100 illegals taken off the streets in this operation
God bless ICE! The ONLY RESPONSE to… pic.twitter.com/xY65ZpKBh8
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 1, 2026
The arrest list included Bogdan Detrovich Gren, a Ukrainian national DHS says was in the country illegally and had convictions for murder, kidnapping, abduction resulting in death, and weapons offenses.
Agents also arrested Palvinder Singh, an Indian national convicted of rape in Germany, and Carlos Mendez-Acosta, a Venezuelan national convicted of rape, according to DHS.
Another arrestee, Colombian national Andreas Bernal Chiquito, had prior arrests involving alleged sexual conduct against a child and injuring a child under 17, federal officials said.
🚨 JUST NOW: DHS Sec. Mullin announces the arrest of illegal alien R*PISTS, child predators and killers in New York
“While the radical left sanctuary states protect illegals, under Trump’s admin, ICE officers are out there every day protecting Americans.” pic.twitter.com/hiIAoRom6k
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 1, 2026
The operation lands squarely in the middle of New York’s escalating fight with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement.
Mamdani reinforced New York City’s sanctuary protections after taking office and has backed additional restrictions on local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Hochul has pushed similar limits statewide, including legislation restricting state police cooperation with federal immigration officials and limiting ICE activity in certain public spaces.
DHS argues those policies have real consequences.
The department says New York sanctuary rules have resulted in more than 13,000 criminal aliens being released back into communities rather than transferred into federal custody.
New York’s political leadership may not want to help ICE.
Operation Rotten Apple showed ICE is coming anyway.
More over at The New York Post:
ICE nabs more than 2K illegal migrants across New York in ‘Operation Rotten Apple’ – including child rapists, murderers https://t.co/GhwFa7H7wx pic.twitter.com/dzNK66nA1Q
— New York Post (@nypost) September 1, 2026
