Nearly 7,000 Criminal Noncitizens With ICE Detainers Released in NYC, Rep. Tenney Says — DHS Calls for Action; AG Responds

Rep. Tenney Criticizes NY Officials After DHS Report On ICE Detainers

Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) on Saturday sharply criticized New York Attorney General Letitia James and city officials after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said nearly 7,000 noncitizens with ICE detainers were released from New York City custody since Jan. 20.

Speaking on the program Saturday in America with host Kayleigh McEnany, Tenney framed the issue as part of a broader shift in New York politics, noting Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will take office on Jan. 1. Tenney described New York as a "sanctuary state" and said the political environment has limited cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

"There are thousands, almost 7,000 people with these advanced criminal records — murder, homicide, rape, extortion, child sex crimes — that are let into our state every single year, at least this last year," Tenney said.

Tenney also accused Attorney General Letitia James of disregarding federal detainer requests and of taking legal action against local officials who cooperate with ICE programs. She pointed to ongoing legal disputes involving a county sheriff who participated in the federal 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement to assist ICE in identifying and processing immigration violations among people already in custody.

Tenney warned this approach increases risks along the northern border in her Upstate district (NY-24), which borders Canada. She claimed many people on a foreign terror watch list have crossed the northern border under the current federal administration, making cooperation with federal authorities, in her view, particularly important.

DHS Statement: "New York City’s failure to honor ICE detainers has resulted in the release of 6,947 criminal illegal aliens since January 20. There are another 7,000 still in the custody of a New York jurisdiction with an active detainer."

The New York Attorney General's press office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital. In prior correspondence with Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, Letitia James said her office "rarely takes custody of individuals" and therefore does not typically receive detainer requests directly. She noted that detainer requests are handled by a range of local entities — police departments and jails — each of which follows its own laws and policies.

James' Letter Excerpt: "Detainer requests are sent to a variety of entities within the State of New York, many of them local police department and local jails, each of which may have applicable laws and policies with respect to whether, to what degree, and under what circumstances to respond to federal detainer requests. This creates a range of lawful practices that we cannot address in our capacity as the attorney general."

This dispute highlights a broader legal and policy debate over how local, state and federal authorities should coordinate on immigration enforcement. DHS has publicly urged Attorney General James to allow jurisdictions to honor ICE detainers, saying doing so is "common sense," while the state AG has emphasized legal limits on her office's authority over local practices.

Reporting note: The DHS count cited by Tenney and reported publicly lists 6,947 releases since Jan. 20 and states roughly 7,000 people remain in custody with active ICE detainers.