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ICE detains City worker
A New York City Council employee, identified by the Department of Homeland Security as Rafael Andrés Rubio Bohórquez, was detained by ICE while he attended a routine immigration appointment in Bethpage, Nassau County, on Long Island.
Clarín reported that Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York City, said in a post on his personal X account that "I demand his immediate release and I will continue monitoring the situation," after the arrest of a City Hall employee detained by ICE agents.
Univision said the municipal worker, a 53-year-old Venezuelan citizen who served as a data analyst, was detained on Monday morning when he went to his appointment at an immigration center in Bethpage, and that DHS identified him as having no legal authorization to stay or work in the United States.
Univision also said DHS defended the detention, stating that ICE arrested Rubio Bohórquez on January 12 and that he entered the country in 2017 on a B-2 tourist visa that required him to depart before October 22, 2017.
The City Council’s account, as described by La Nación, said the employee had legal authorization to remain in the country through October 2026 and that the arrest occurred without an immediate explanation of the legal basis for the detention.
Competing versions and demands
Julie Menin, president of the New York City Council, told local press that the worker was legally authorized to remain in the country until October 2026, while Clarín said DHS justified the detention by stating he remains in the United States without authorization and also has a criminal record.
Clarín quoted DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin saying, "Under Secretary Noem, illegal immigrant criminals are not welcome in the United States," and said DHS also asserted the detainee entered with a B2 tourist visa in 2017.
La Nación described Menin’s criticism at a press conference, saying she stated that "Across the country, we have witnessed aggressive escalations by ICE that raise serious concerns about the use of excessive force and the lack of accountability," and that the employee managed to make a single phone call to contact the Council’s human resources department.
Univision reported that Mamdani demanded the employee’s immediate release with the quote, "This is an attack on our democracy, our city, and our values. I demand his immediate release," and said other municipal officials joined the call.
Democracy Now! later reported that Rubio Bohorquez was released from custody in June after being detained at the immigration jail Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, for more than five months, and that his TPS was valid through October 2026.
What happens next
The dispute over Rubio Bohórquez’s legal status continued to drive institutional conflict, with La Nación describing a formal demand for his release and conflicting versions of his legal status between local authorities and the federal government.
Democracy Now! said Rubio Bohórquez was taken by federal immigration officers in January during a routine asylum interview despite having TPS, and that he was finally released in June after 158 days in custody.
Democracy Now! also quoted Rubio Bohórquez describing his fear of being detained again, saying, "But it seems right now that’s not that much solace, because sometimes things are happening that are outside of the law," and quoted his lawyer Gwyneth Hesser saying, "They don’t give notice."
Clarín reported that Kathy Hochul, the state governor, emphasized that "Detaining people during routine judicial appearances doesn’t make us safer," and said she argued that the use of the immigration enforcement system in this way undermines public trust.
Univision added that a group of City Council members, employees, and supporters organized a demonstration outside ICE's office in Lower Manhattan, scheduled for noon, to demand Rubio Bohórquez's release.
