Queens detention: Federal agency says city released suspect despite two detainers

The Department of Homeland Security announced on Tuesday that Alpha Bah, a Guinean national without legal status, is at large after New York City police released him from Queens Central Booking on Oct. 7. DHS officials stated that the New York City Police Department ignored a federal request to hold the suspect for immigration purposes before sending him back into the community. Bah faces charges of aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, and obstructing governmental administration.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer with the booking facility on Oct. 7. This document formally asked federal officials to detain Bah upon his release from criminal custody. Police records indicate the NYPD proceeded with his release without notifying ICE agents of the pending federal hold. It is not the first time federal officials have attempted to intercept Bah. In June 2026, ICE filed a similar detainer with Manhattan Central Booking after he was charged with intent to obtain transportation without paying. Police released him from that arrest as well.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized the local response to the federal request. Mullin told reporters that the release exemplified the current approach to immigration enforcement in the city. He stated that sanctuary politicians arrested the man and then sent him home without telling ICE. The department has now issued two detainer requests for Bah in 2026. Both were ignored by city law enforcement before the suspect left the facility. Bah entered the United States illegally in November 2023. He lived in Arizona before Border Patrol officers arrested him.

Bah has a prior history with New York law enforcement. Police arrested him in January 2025 for criminal trespassing. According to DHS, he was released before ICE could submit a detainer request under policies in place at the time. The agency points to this pattern to argue that local cooperation gaps allow individuals with federal holds to re-enter public spaces. Mullin said the city released the man despite violent charges against him. He described the man as remaining at large following his Oct. 7 release.

State and city leaders have enacted measures to limit local cooperation with federal immigration officials. Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation in May that blocks New York state law enforcement agencies from entering into official agreements with ICE. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an executive order reaffirming the city's status as a sanctuary. That order restricts federal immigration enforcement on city property and makes it harder for agencies to access data on residents without legal status. It also establishes an audit process to check compliance with these local rules.

DHS responded to the state and city policies by defending the value of local partnerships. The agency stated that cooperation is key to removing individuals from communities who have committed crimes such as murder, rape, and gang activity. DHS noted that seven of the ten safest cities in the country cooperate with ICE. The department called on both Hochul and Mamdani to reconsider these policies. Mullin specifically urged the two leaders to stop what he called evil sanctuary policies. He warned that another American could get hurt or killed if the current approach continues.

The release of Bah has intensified scrutiny on how New York implements its sanctuary framework. The federal government argues that the city's refusal to honor detainers contradicts its enforcement priorities. DHS called on all pro-sanctuary politicians to reconsider rules that restrict cooperation. Neither Hochul's office nor Mamdani's office immediately replied to requests for comment regarding the Oct. 7 release. The man's current location remains unknown to federal authorities as of Tuesday.