The arrest of a New York City Council employee amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has triggered outrage among city officials and sparked protests outside a Manhattan detention facility.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez was detained, claiming he overstayed a tourist visa and had previously been arrested for assault. ICE stated that he had no legal right to remain in the United States.
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City Council Speaker Julie Menin disputed those claims, telling reporters that Rubio Bohorquez, who works as a data analyst for the City Council, was legally authorized to work in the United States until October. She said he signed a document as part of his employment affirming he had never been arrested and that he successfully passed a background check required for all city employees.
Following his detention on Monday, the New York Immigration Coalition and the New York Legal Assistance Group filed a petition asking a court to order his release. The announcement was made in a joint statement by Menin and Congressman Dan Goldman.
ICE publicly confirmed Rubio Bohorquez’s identity. However, Menin and Goldman initially referred to him only as a council employee in order to protect his privacy.
“We are doing everything we can to secure his immediate release,” Menin said during a Monday evening news conference. She described the arrest as egregious government overreach.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was outraged, calling the detention an assault on democracy and on the city’s values.
Governor Kathy Hochul also condemned the arrest, stating that weaponized immigration enforcement undermines public trust.
“This does not make us safer,” Hochul said. “It erodes trust, spreads fear, and violates basic principles of fairness.”
Menin said city officials were attempting to contact Rubio Bohorquez’s family and locate his immigration attorney.
Authorities said Rubio Bohorquez, who is originally from Venezuela, was detained during a scheduled immigration appointment in Bethpage on Long Island. Menin described the visit as a routine check in that suddenly escalated.
“This staffer chose to work for the city and contribute his expertise to the community,” said Lisa Rivera, president and CEO of the New York Legal Assistance Group. “He did everything right by attending a scheduled interview, yet ICE unlawfully detained him.”
Rivera said her organization represents dozens of people who have been wrongfully detained by ICE and hundreds more who are following legal procedures in hopes of remaining in the United States.
According to ICE, Rubio Bohorquez entered the country in 2017 on a B2 tourist visa and was required to leave by October 22 of that year. Menin said he has worked for the City Council for approximately one year and earns about 129,315 dollars annually based on city payroll records.
“He had no work authorization,” ICE said in a statement.
The agency, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, said under Secretary Kristi Noem that criminal illegal immigrants are not welcome in the United States and that those who violate immigration laws will be arrested.
Several dozen protesters gathered Tuesday outside the Greater New York Federal Building, where Rubio Bohorquez was believed to be held. Some demonstrators carried signs reading “Abolish ICE” and “No Human Is Illegal.”
