Feds slam upstate NY sheriff for releasing violent Mexican migrant due to sanctuary city policy
The US Department of Justice on Thursday nabbed a “violent” illegal Mexican immigrant convicted of assault — and slammed an upstate sheriff for cutting the goon loose despite a federal deportation order.Jesus Romero-Hernandez, 27, who pleaded guilty Tuesday to third-degree assault charges in Tompkins County, was quickly released by the local sheriff’s office despite a federal arrest warrant — a symptom of the Empire State’s migrant-friendly “sanctuary” status, federal prosecutors said in a release.On Thursday, the US Marshals Service and federal immigration agents caught up with the fugitive.“Federal agents risked their safety and pursued the defendant in unsafe conditions,” Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove fumed in a statement after the operations.“Today, they were successful in recapturing the defendant,” Bove said.“I applaud the U.S.
Attorney’s commitment to investigate these circumstances for potential prosecution, and the efforts of the agents who were able to arrest the defendant under wholly avoidable circumstances.”According to the feds, Romero-Hernandez was taken into custody and deported in the past, but returned to the US at some point.On Jan.
8, 2024, while still on the loose, he was charged with illegally re-entering the county and was marked for deportation.When the migrant was busted on assault charges in Ithaca, federal immigration officials requested he be held by the sheriff’s office — which was ignored and he was released.The Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a request for comment on the case.But in a statement, county officials addressed the incident.
“The County is aware of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity at the Human Services Building (320 W.State St./MLK Jr St., Ithaca) today … and is fully investigating the circumstances.“The individual in question was recently released from the Tompkins County jail,” the statement said.
“The public should be as...