NYPD released Guinean man charged with assaulting officer despite two ICE detainers
DHS says Alpha Bah, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2023, is now at large after Queens Central Booking ignored federal requests to hold him on Oct. 7.
By Harper Collins ·
New York City’s sanctuary policies are drawing fresh scrutiny after federal immigration officials said local police released a man charged with assaulting an officer while ignoring two separate detention requests.
Alpha Bah, a Guinean national who entered the country illegally in November 2023, was arrested on Oct. 7, 2026, on charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, and obstructing governmental administration.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer with Queens Central Booking that same day, asking federal officials to detain him upon release. The New York City Police Department released Bah without notifying ICE, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Bah is not new to the federal immigration system. ICE previously lodged a detainer with Manhattan Central Booking in June 2026 when he was charged with intent to obtain transportation without paying. The NYPD released him following that arrest as well.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin called the release a clear example of sanctuary city practices. He stated that Bah was arrested for assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon but was sent back onto the streets without ICE being informed.
Mullin said DHS is calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani to reconsider policies that limit cooperation with federal agents. He described the current situation as a result of open-border policies that allowed Bah into the country and sanctuary rules that prevented his transfer to federal custody.
Bah has a prior record that includes an arrest for criminal trespassing in January 2025. DHS noted that he was released before ICE could request a detainer under Biden-era policies. He had previously lived in Arizona after being stopped by U.S. Border Patrol.
The state and city leaders have enacted measures to restrict local law enforcement interactions with federal immigration authorities. Hochul signed legislation in May that blocks New York agencies from entering into official agreements with ICE. Mamdani signed an executive order reaffirming the city’s commitment to being a sanctuary, which restricted federal enforcement on city property and required audits of city agencies.
DHS responded to the state and city policies by stating that partnerships between ICE and local law enforcement are key to removing criminal aliens. The department noted that seven of the ten safest cities in the U.S. cooperate with ICE. Neither Hochul’s nor Mamdani’s offices immediately replied to requests for comment.
