Following their involvement in a Manhattan shopping spree and assault on a New York police officer, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has apprehended Brayan Freites-Macias, the last member of a group of illegal immigrants. On Wednesday, deportation officers arrested Freites-Macias, a 21-year-old Venezuelan, in New York City. ICE criticized New York City authorities for repeatedly refusing to honor their detainer requests for Freitas-Macias while he was in local detention, opting instead to release him back into the community. “Brayan Freites-Macias has a history of violence and posed a threat to New York City residents,” stated Kenneth Genalo, Director of the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) New York City Field Office, in a press release. “When local jurisdictions refuse to honor ICE detainers, they jeopardize public safety.” Freites-Macias initially came to the attention of Border Patrol agents in December 2023 after unlawfully entering the country. He was issued a notice to appear before an immigration judge and subsequently released into the United States, according to ICE. In the lead-up to the shoplifting incident, New York Police Department (NYPD) officers had arrested Freites-Macias on unrelated charges including petty larceny and criminal trespass. On April 2, Freitas-Macias allegedly collaborated with four other Venezuelan immigrants to steal merchandise from a Manhattan Target store. The group reportedly stole a backpack and filled it with items as they moved through the aisles, according to the New York Post. When officers attempted to intervene, the suspects resisted arrest and engaged in a physical altercation, resulting in an officer being transported to the hospital. A few days later, ICE announced the apprehension of all but one of the five individuals involved: Freitas-Macias. Following his shoplifting arrest, he was the only suspect ordered to be held on bail. On April 9, ICE filed a detainer for Freitas-Macias with the New York City Department of Corrections, but officials declined to honor it and released him on Monday. That same day, he was again arrested by NYPD officers on grand larceny charges. ICE officials once more submitted a detainer request to New York authorities, but it was disregarded, and he was released from local custody. On Wednesday, deportation officers finally apprehended him near his New York City residence, where he will remain in ICE custody. This arrest occurs amid ongoing efforts by local officials to address the substantial financial and logistical challenges posed by the immigration crisis in the city. Mayor Eric Adams has been forced to establish emergency shelters and tents to accommodate the tens of thousands of migrants who have arrived in New York City in less than two years. Due to complaints of panhandling, Mayor Adams has also decided to close some of the migrant shelters. Residents have expressed concerns about the impact of the crisis on their quality of life. In an effort to mitigate the situation, Adams has proposed rolling back some of the city’s sanctuary policies. When contacted for comment by the Daily Caller News Foundation, the NYPD did not immediately respond.
ICE Apprehends Remaining Fugitive in Manhattan Shopping Spree and Assault Case
