Sanctuary City BUSTED Hiring Illegal With Criminal Record

A federal judge ordered the deportation of an illegal immigrant from Venezuela with an assault arrest record who was somehow hired by New York City’s government—and socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani is furious about enforcing immigration law.

Story Snapshot

Federal judge orders deportation of NYC Council employee Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela with an assault arrest
Bohorquez overstayed his 2017 tourist visa by nearly eight years and was detained during a routine immigration court appearance
NYC’s socialist Mayor Mamdani and city officials demand release despite DHS confirming no legal work authorization
Case exposes sanctuary city failures as NYC government hired and employed an illegal alien despite supposed background checks

Federal Judge Orders Deportation Despite City’s Outrage

Immigration Judge Charles Conroy ordered Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez deported from the United States after the Venezuelan national’s asylum application was rejected. The judge’s decision came after ICE detained Bohorquez on January 13, 2026, during what was supposed to be a routine immigration court appointment in Bethpage, Nassau County. NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin condemned the ruling, claiming Bohorquez had legal work authorization and calling the decision “a miscarriage of justice and wholly deplorable.” However, the Department of Homeland Security maintains Bohorquez never had legal authorization to work in the United States.

Illegal Immigrant With Assault Record Employed by NYC Government

Bohorquez entered the United States in 2017 on a B2 tourist visa that required him to depart by October 22, 2017. Instead of leaving, he remained in the country illegally for nearly eight years. During this time, the Venezuelan national was arrested for assault, according to DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. Despite this criminal history and immigration violations, New York City’s government hired him as a data analyst for the City Council. The hiring raises serious questions about how sanctuary city policies and political correctness allowed someone with no legal right to work in America—and a criminal record—to secure taxpayer-funded employment in city government.

Sanctuary City Policies Clash With Federal Law Enforcement

The Trump administration’s renewed commitment to immigration enforcement has exposed the dysfunction of sanctuary city policies. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and White House Border Czar Tom Homan have prioritized removing illegal aliens with criminal histories. Mayor Mamdani, New York City’s first socialist mayor who was sworn in January 1, 2026, called Bohorquez’s detention “an assault on our democracy” and demanded his immediate release. Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James joined the chorus of outrage, claiming the enforcement action “weaponized” immigration policy. These officials ignore a fundamental reality: enforcing immigration law is not government overreach—it’s basic constitutional duty and common sense public safety.

Work Authorization Claims Disputed by Federal Officials

A central dispute remains over Bohorquez’s work authorization status. NYC officials insist he had valid work authorization through October 2026 and passed standard background checks. Bohorquez’s attorney echoed these claims, stating his client possessed a working permit. However, DHS flatly contradicts this narrative, asserting Bohorquez had no legal authorization to work and was illegally employed. The conflicting claims highlight either spectacular incompetence in NYC’s hiring practices or deliberate disregard for federal immigration law. Either scenario demonstrates how sanctuary policies prioritize political ideology over legal compliance and public safety, putting law-abiding citizens at risk while protecting those who violated our immigration system.

The case sets a critical precedent that federal immigration law supersedes local sanctuary policies, even when city governments employ illegal aliens. Mayor Mamdani’s outrage reveals the true priority of progressive leadership: defending illegal immigration regardless of criminal history or legal violations. For Americans frustrated with years of open-border policies that ignored the rule of law, this deportation order represents a return to common sense enforcement that prioritizes citizen safety over political correctness and protects taxpayer resources from being used to employ those with no legal right to work in our country.