Archive · 2 Sep 2026
New York Immigration Arrests Deepen Fight Over Sanctuary Policies
Federal immigration officers arrested 2,197 people in New York during an operation called Operation Rotten Apple.
The arrests happened from late July through late August.
Federal officials said some of the people arrested had been convicted of very serious crimes.
They did not provide a full breakdown of everyone arrested.
Earlier ICE data showed that most July arrests involved people with no convictions or pending charges.
Federal officials criticized New York for limiting local help with immigration enforcement.
Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani said they would contact federal authorities about people accused or convicted of serious crimes.
They also said immigrants may be less likely to report crimes if they fear immigration enforcement.
The officials are additionally arguing over $87 million in federal counterterrorism funding.
ICE arrested 2,197 immigrants across New York from July 27 through Aug. 29 in Operation Rotten Apple.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the arrests included people convicted of murder, rape and drug trafficking, but gave no detailed breakdown.
ICE data showed that more than 75% of about 1,567 July arrests involved people with no convictions or pending charges.
Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani defended New York’s limits on cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
New York officials criticized the withholding of $87 million in counterterrorism funding, which federal officials previously linked to sanctuary policies.
- Who
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, White House Border Czar Tom Homan, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
- What
- A federal immigration operation produced 2,197 arrests and intensified a dispute over sanctuary policies, local cooperation and counterterrorism funding.
- When
- The arrests occurred from July 27 through Aug. 29; the officials’ statements were made on Tuesday.
- Where
- New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and upstate New York.
- Why
- Federal officials cited limited local cooperation and sanctuary policies, while New York officials defended their policies and challenged the withholding of federal funds.
New York Officials
Federal Officials
Local immigration cooperation
New York Officials
Hochul said New York is not a sanctuary state for criminals and notifies ICE when undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes are released. Mamdani said the city would contact federal authorities about serious crimes while defending policies intended to help immigrants report crimes.
Federal Officials
Mullin and Homan said New York officials do not allow federal immigration officers into local jails to take criminals into custody. Mullin criticized the city and state for not participating more broadly in the federal 287 program.
Scope of the arrests
New York Officials
New York officials cited ICE data showing that more than 75% of about 1,567 July arrests involved people with no convictions or pending charges.
Federal Officials
Mullin said Operation Rotten Apple arrested murderers, rapists, pedophiles, drug traffickers and violent assailants, but did not provide a complete breakdown of the 2,197 arrests.
Counterterrorism funding
New York Officials
Hochul called the remaining $87 million reduction political retaliation and said New York had not been told that restoring the funds depended on changing its immigration policies.
Federal Officials
The Department of Homeland Security previously cited sanctuary policies when reducing New York’s Homeland Security Grant Program allocation by $187 million. Mullin said no federal money should go to sanctuary states and cities.
- Operation
- Operation Rotten Apple
- Reported arrests
- 2,197 immigrants
- Operation dates
- July 27 through Aug. 29
- July ICE data
- About 1,567 arrests; more than 75% involved people with neither convictions nor pending charges
- Counterterrorism funding at issue
- $87 million
- Original funding reduction
- The Department of Homeland Security cut New York’s allocation by $187 million; New York recovered $100 million after a federal court order
- Funding uses
- NYPD intelligence and counterterrorism operations, FDNY radiological response, the National Guard’s Joint Task Force Empire Shield and bomb squads
