Metro

NY Gov. Kathy Hochul suggests deporting mob of migrants who pounded cops in caught-on-camera attack near Times Square

NYPD cops pounded by rowdy mob of migrants in caught-on-video assault near Times Square in January 2024
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Republican pols are lining up to demand that the rowdy migrants nabbed in a caught-on-camera attack on two NYPD cops in Times Square get deported — and Gov. Kathy Hochul said it’s something that should certainly be “looked at.”

The Democratic governor, speaking to reporters after announcing the nomination of Steven G. James as New York State Police superintendent Wednesday, was asked about the shocking beatdown and whether the asylum-seeking suspects should be deported.

“I think that’s actually something that should be looked at,” Hochul replied.

“I mean, if someone commits a crime against a police officer in the state of New York and they’re not here legally, it’s definitely worth checking into,” she said.

“These are law enforcement officers who should never under any circumstances be subjected to physical assault,” Hochul added. “It’s wrong on all accounts and I’m looking to judges and prosecutors to do the right thing.”

Footage of the incident on West 42nd Street shows an NYPD officer and lieutenant telling a group of migrants to move along before a scuffle breaks out.

The officers sustained kicks and punches as they attempted to wrestle some of the individuals to the ground.

Police say two officers told a group of individuals to disperse before the beating. DCPI

Hochul wasn’t the only elected official weighing in on the deportation question.

“That law that’s prohibiting cooperation between NYPD and federal immigration enforcement — it just has to stop,” US Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), who represents Staten Island, told The Post.

“Republicans, Independents, Democrats should at least be able to agree that if you’re in this city, and you’re committing a crime, you have given up any opportunity to ever become a part of this citizenry, period,” Malliotakis added.

Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella agreed and said the Big Apple should not have been surprised by the vicious migrant mob attack on two of New York’s Finest.

“This is the fruit of the poisonous tree,” Fossella said.

“That situation is abhorrent to me,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. AP

“We warned more than a year ago about letting all these migrants in. Now we’re getting the worst of the worst,” he added. “I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t deport these individuals immediately for assaulting our police officers.

“We shouldn’t spend one more penny on them. Now they have a license to attack our police officers? Is this the world we created?”

The Big Apple’s “sanctuary city” status makes it illegal to notify US Immigration and Customs Enforcement about criminal defendants, such as those charged in the Midtown cop-beating.

But the city doesn’t provide sanctuary from prosecution for crimes including homicide, manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and human and sex trafficking, legal experts said.

Several people were caught on camera punching and kicking the officers before running away down 42nd Street. DCPI

“New York City does not provide sanctuary from prosecution from various violent felonies,” said defense attorney Michael Bachner, a former Manhattan prosecutor.

“Assaulting an officer, that is the type of offense that I believe would 100% be subject to deportation,” Bachner said. “The immigration courts, they don’t look kindly on assaulting law enforcement officials.”

Once their case concludes — with either a plea, conviction or charges dropped — an “immigration hold” would typically be placed on them and they would be subject to deportation after serving out their sentence, he added.

“They should then be transported to an immigration facility where they would be subject to immigration court and subject to removal from the country,” Bachner said.

Police busted five men — Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, 19, Kelvin Servita Arocha, 19, Wilson Juarez, 21, Jhoan Boada, 22, and Yorman Reveron, 24 — for the Times Square attack.

Kelvin Servita Arocha was one of the five people who were arrested after the Times Square incident.
Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel was also arrested by police.
Police arrested Wilson Juarez in connection to the Times Square incident.
Yorman Reveron was included in the five people who were arrested for the incident in Times Square.

All of them were arraigned on charges of second-degree assault on a police officer and obstruction of governmental administration — and released without bail.

Three suspects are still being sought, cops said Wednesday.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office acknowledged it did not request bail for the accused cop-beaters, but said prosecutors are still investigating and viewing new video footage of the attack.

A spokesperson for Hochul said her office has communicated with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office about the attack.

“Under existing state law, assaulting a police officer is a bail-eligible crime and district attorneys must hold offenders accountable,” the Hochul spokesperson told The Post.

Jhoan Boada, 22, is the fifth migrant charged in a gang assault on two NYPD cops in Times Square on Saturday night. Steven Hirsch

Hochul said she believes the lenient bail reform measures passed by Democratic lawmakers in Albany since 2019 are working overall — but is “not satisfied at all” with the handling of the attack.

“That situation is abhorrent to me,” she said.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a former NYPD captain, also condemned the attack — albeit with a more lukewarm response — and called for the accused migrant thugs to be prosecuted.

Boada gives the camera the middle finger after leaving court. Steven Hirsch

“The men and women of the NYPD put their lives on the line every single day, working tirelessly to keep us and our streets safe,” a spokesperson for the mayor told The Post.

“Violence — of any kind, and no less against our officers — is unacceptable and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

More than 170,000 migrants from the US border have flooded the five boroughs since the spring of 2022 seeking asylum, with more than 67,000 still housed in more than 200 city shelters and hotels.

Over the past year, a handful have been tied to crimes including rape, murder and pickpocketing.

Additional reporting by Carl Campanile and Craig McCarthy