ICE officers arrested Gerardo Miguel-Mora, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, who was charged with strangulation, rape, sexual assault, burglary, grand larceny, and drug possession in New York City | Image by Homeland Security/press release
Federal immigration authorities arrested a previously deported illegal alien with a long history of violent and sexual crimes after New York officials released him multiple times despite an ICE detainer and a federal arrest warrant, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE officers arrested Gerardo Miguel-Mora, a Mexican national, on January 30, 2026, after New York City released him back onto the streets on four separate occasions under sanctuary policies, ICE said.
Miguel-Mora’s criminal history spans more than a decade and includes rape, strangulation, sexual assault, burglary, grand larceny, and drug offenses.
According to ICE, New York officials ignored both an ICE detainer and a federal criminal warrant, releasing Miguel-Mora from custody on January 7 despite repeated notifications from federal authorities.
A Decade-Long Pattern of Violent Crime and Release
Miguel-Mora’s record includes arrests between July and August 2011 on charges of rape, strangulation, assault, forcible touching, burglary, and disorderly conduct. In 2012, he was convicted of burglary in the New York State Supreme Court and sentenced to 42 months in prison with 10 years of post-release supervision.
ICE said Miguel-Mora was removed from the United States in September 2012 following a final order of removal, but later illegally reentered the country.
In recent years, New York authorities arrested and released him repeatedly:
Arrests in 2023 and 2024 for grand larceny, false personation, and drug possession, followed by release before ICE detainers could be lodged
A federal criminal warrant was issued in March 2025 for illegal reentry as an aggravated felon
Arrests in January 2026 on drug and larceny charges, followed by release despite an active ICE detainer and federal warrant
ICE said officers were ultimately forced to arrest Miguel-Mora at large because local authorities refused to transfer him into federal custody.
“These are the types of public safety threats New York Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani are releasing from their jails onto the streets to perpetrate more crimes and create more victims,” ICE Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement, calling on state and city leaders to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
A Broader Pattern Documented by The Dallas Express
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Miguel-Mora’s case mirrors a broader pattern seen nationwide in sanctuary jurisdictions.
In January, The Dallas Express reported that ICE arrested 206 criminal illegal aliens in Maine during a week-long enforcement operation targeting offenders with violent and drug-related records, including individuals convicted of aggravated assault, domestic violence, and drug trafficking.
Earlier that month, DHS announced the arrests of 12 violent criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota as part of Operation Metro Surge, including individuals convicted of murder, domestic violence, and major narcotics offenses. Federal officials said Minnesota authorities had released hundreds of criminal illegal aliens despite ICE detainers.
In November, ICE reported arresting 3,593 criminal illegal aliens in the Houston area during the federal government shutdown, including dozens of sex offenders, child predators, murderers, and gang members—many of whom had been previously deported and illegally reentered the country.
ICE said New York’s refusal to honor detainers since January 20 has resulted in the release of 6,947 criminal illegal aliens, including individuals charged with homicide, sexual offenses, weapons crimes, and drug trafficking. More than 7,100 additional aliens with active ICE detainers remain in New York custody, the agency said.