Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is placing blame on New York City’s sanctuary policies after a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer was shot in Manhattan over the weekend—allegedly by an undocumented immigrant with a history of prior arrests.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Noem condemned the city’s leadership, calling the shooting a “preventable tragedy” and a direct consequence of lax immigration enforcement.
“There’s absolutely zero reason that someone like this—scum of the earth—should be free to roam the streets of New York City,” Noem said, referring to suspect Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez. “He was arrested four separate times and let go—because of sanctuary city policies.”
According to Fox News, Nunez, a Guatemalan national, had previously been apprehended by Border Patrol in April 2023 but was released and later ordered deported. He allegedly opened fire during a robbery in Riverside Park on Saturday night, striking the CBP officer in the face and forearm. A second suspect, Christhian Aybar-Berroa, a Dominican national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2022, was also taken into custody.
“How many more people have to be hurt and victimized before we prioritize public safety?” Noem asked. “Mayors and governors in sanctuary jurisdictions need to be held accountable. Their first duty is to protect the public.”
Noem said the off-duty officer, whose name has not been released, was able to return fire and wound one of the attackers before being hospitalized. She praised his quick action as “a testament to his skill and training.”
After visiting the officer in the hospital, Noem offered prayers for his recovery and issued a plea to city leaders across the U.S.
“It breaks my heart to see the suffering caused by these reckless policies. In New York, Boston, L.A., Chicago—families are paying the price every day. How many more lives will it take before something changes?”
‘Sanctuary Cities Are Sanctuaries for Criminals,’ Homan Says
Tom Homan, Trump’s border policy adviser, also visited the wounded officer’s family and echoed Noem’s criticism.
“Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals. President Trump isn’t going to tolerate it. This is our top priority now—we’re going to flood the zone,” Homan said, adding that more aggressive enforcement is coming.
The shooting has ignited renewed calls from Republican officials for a nationwide crackdown on sanctuary cities, with Noem and others vowing to hold local officials accountable for failing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
