The city currently cooperates with federal immigration officials when it comes to anyone accused of serious crimes like rape or murder. But one Staten Island lawmaker is pushing to include other crimes, including sexual misconduct. NY1's Zack Fink filed the following report.
Republican Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis says the city needs to partner more with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials when undocumented immigrants commit crimes.
"Well, the mayor has been showing off a list of 170 crimes in which the city complies with detainer requests, but I have been able to identify 447 crimes in which the city is not complying, and some of them are quite egregious," Malliotakis said.
Malliotakis says her list includes a litany of sexual abuse crimes, like forcible touching and sexual misconduct.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday he is considering adding some of the crimes to the city's list, but would not commit to a timeframe.
"We’re going to look at a number of other offenses to make a decision. That process is underway," de Blasio said. "I can't give you an exact date by which we'll have an answer but it's going to be pretty soon."
In January, the mayor made the same promise when he was questioned by Malliotakis on this issue.
"Is it right to deport someone who committed a very minor offense? Leave a family without a bread winner? Leave children without their parents? Is that good public policy? No," he said on January 30.
In the highly-charged Trump era, the de Blasio administration has doubled down on New York's status as sanctuary city that protects its citizens instead of reporting them to federal authorities. But critics like Malliotakis say that in some cases, crimes that may have been more serious get reduced to secure a conviction.
"That's the other thing. Sexual abuse in the first degree is on the city's list, but sexual abuse in the second and third degree are not on the list. So if someone pleads down to a second or third offense, then all of a sudden, they are allowed to remain in this country illegally and perhaps commit more crimes against women and children," Malliotakis said.
While the list of crimes not included is loaded with minor offenses such as marijuana possession, it also includes degrees of stalking, menacing, bribery and assault.