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New York City Gov. Kathy Hochul might not remember the information of a number of prominent cases including prohibited immigrants charged with violent offenses in her home state throughout a congressional hearing on Thursday.
Throughout a Home Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., highlighted how Hochul extended an executive order, “an extension of your predecessor’s sanctuary state policies,” 3 times, most just recently on Jan. 16, 2025. Hochul’s predecessor is previous New york city Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is presently going to end up being mayor of New york city City.
The order mentions that state officers or staff members will not reveal details to federal migration authorities “for the function of federal civil migration enforcement.” It goes on to state police officers “might not utilize resources, devices or workers for the function of identifying and collaring any specific presumed or desired for breaching a civil migration workplace.” The policy likewise states police officers “have no authority in the State of New york city to take any policy action, entirely due to the fact that the individual is an undocumented alien.”
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Rep. Elise Stefanik concerns New york city Gov. Kathy Hochul throughout a Home Committee on Oversight and Federal government Reform hearing, Thursday, June 12, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol. ( AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Stefanik, who is thinking about a possible gubernatorial run, then continued to quiz Hochul on a number of current prominent cases in New york city, however the Democratic guv drew a blank.
Hochul did not acknowledge the name of Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, a prohibited immigrant from Guatemala who was charged with setting a sleeping female on fire on a New york city City train in December 2024. The victim, 57-year-old Debrina Kawam, was apparently homeless. Zapeta-Calil was apparently deported in 2018 and unlawfully returned to the U.S.
” Do you understand who Sebastian Zapeta-Calil is?” Stefanik asked Hochul.
Hochul reacted, “I make certain you’ll inform me. There’s numerous cases …”
” These are prominent cases,” Stefanik inserted. “New Yorkers understand about them, and you do not. So let’s speak about Sebastian Zapeta-Calil. Do you understand who that is?”
” I do not have the particular information at my disposal, no,” Hochul stated.
Stefanik continued, “Well, this is a prohibited migrant in New york city due to the fact that of your sanctuary state policies. Do you understand what criminal activity he devoted?”
” I’m not familiar at this minute,” Hochul confessed.
Stefanik reacted, “I wager you’re going to recognize when I advise you. He discovered a sleeping female on the train, lit her on fire and burned her alive.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and New York City Gov. Kathy Hochul participate in a Home Committee on Oversight and Federal government Reform hearing, Thursday, June 12, 2025. ( AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
” This remains in Kathy Hochul’s New york city,” Stefanik stated. “And as I make certain you know, and I’ll advise you, that ICE provided an order to apprehend this violent wrongdoer, however that was turned down by New york city authorities due to sanctuary state laws.”
The guv likewise stopped working to keep in mind Sakir Akkan. The 21-year-old prohibited immigrant from Turkey pleaded guilty to requiring a 15-year-old woman into his cars and truck in Albany, New York City, and raping her in Might 2024. The case stirred debate due to the fact that regional authorities apparently provided contrasting declarations about whether Akkan’s migration status affected their choice not to inform the general public of the rape and his subsequent arrest, according to the Albany Times Union.
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” Do you understand who Sakir Akkan is? You ought to as the guv of New york city state. Do you understand?” Stefanik pushed, as Hochul tried to deflect a number of times.
” Revitalize my recollection,” Hochul stated.
” He was a prohibited migrant in New york city,” Stefanik stated, “And do you understand what criminal activity he devoted in addition to being here unlawfully?”
” No, I do not,” Hochul stated.
” You do not? This was extensively reported,” Stefanik stated. “He discovered a 15-year-old woman, threatened her with a metal pole, informed her to enter into the rear seat of his cars and truck. He took her clothing off, and he strongly raped her in Albany, New York City.”
The guv likewise attempted to deflect and speak more broadly about state policies when Stefanik asked her particularly if she remembered Raymond Rojas Basilio. The formerly gotten rid of Mexican nationwide was founded guilty of molesting a victim less than 11 years of ages. ICE detained the 36-year-old fugitive outside his Queens house in December.
” He is a prohibited who molested an 11-year-old in our state due to the fact that, once again, of your sanctuary state policies,” Stefanik stated. “This prohibited was protected from federal migration enforcement and able to dedicate this abhorrent criminal activity.”
Prohibited immigrant rape suspect Wilson Castillo Diaz is envisioned in an Oct. 22, 2024, mugshot supplied by the Nassau County Cops Department. ( Nassau County Cops)
Stefanik once again pushed Hochul on whether she understood who Wilson Castillo Diaz was, however the guv reacted, “I’m informing you this, we do comply completely with ICE in prosecutions.”
The congresswoman shot back, “You’re not promoting on behalf of these victims.”
Cops in Nassau County, New york city, detained Castillo Diaz, another prohibited immigrant, in October 2024 for apparently raping a 5-year-old woman.
” You are protecting illegals,” Stefanik informed Hochul. “That is rapes of girls, whippings of NYPD police officers by illegals who are here under Kathy Hochul’s stopped working policies, burning New Yorkers alive. This is Kathy Hochul’s New york city. It is among the numerous reasons that you’re hemorrhaging assistance from hard-working New york city households.”
The guv stated those were “dreadful criminal offenses,” however Stefanik inserted.
” They’re dreadful criminal offenses that are devoted on your watch,” Stefanik stated. “You sign this executive order on your very first day in workplace. You sign it once again and once again this January. We are worthy of a guv who defends obedient New Yorkers, does not put illegals initially, however really puts New Yorkers initially.”
Hochul stated the state does comply with federal police on criminal matters and stated Stefanik’s “representation of the realities is definitely incorrect.”
The guv likewise implicated Stefanik of attempting to produce a “viral minute,” however the congresswoman asserted, “I’m defending New Yorkers.”
Source: Fox News.
