According to a report, 75% of arrests in midtown Manhattan involve illegal immigrants, police say.

In New York City, more than half of arrests are made up of migrants, who are overwhelming the criminal justice system at a higher rate than previously recognized.

A report for the New York Post stated that up to 75% of individuals arrested in Midtown Manhattan in recent months for offenses such as assault, robbery, and domestic violence were migrants, according to police sources.

The report states that New York City courtrooms are filled with individuals who have come to the city in search of asylum but have violated the law. Police sources claim that the city's lenient bail policies allow migrants to be released promptly after being arrested, resulting in their return to the city's streets.

"According to a Midtown Manhattan police officer, approximately 75% of arrests in the area are migrants, primarily for offenses such as robberies, assaults, domestic incidents, and selling counterfeit items. The officer emphasized that it is difficult to confirm their migrant status with absolute certainty, stating that "you can’t be 100% sure [they’re migrants] unless you arrest them in a shelter or they’re foolish enough to provide you with a shelter address.""

The police are not permitted to monitor the immigration status of individuals they detain, which may limit their ability to fully comprehend the extent of the issue.

An NYPD spokesperson informed Planet Chronicle Digital that police officers are prohibited from inquiring about the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses, or suspects, hence the NYPD doesn't collect data on immigration statuses.

More than 60% of arrests in Queens are also migrants, according to police sources.

At the Queens Criminal Courthouse, a law enforcement officer revealed that there are times when they require additional Spanish interpreters due to the high number of migrant cases.

Since arriving in the U.S. earlier this year, 31-year-old Ecuadorian migrant Jefferson Maldenado has been arrested five times in New York City, with his latest arrest being for stealing a pair of pants and a beer from a Target store, according to a report.

"The migrant stated that he wanted to change his clothes and think when asked about the crime he committed, as reported. He explained that he wanted to sit down and contemplate his life and options because the world he was in was not normal."

The issue in the city has been intensified due to New York City's sanctuary city laws, which hinder police from collaborating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on cases involving undocumented migrants.

"The elimination of a tool to remove violent criminals in New York City is a mess," former prosecutor Jim Quinn of the Queens District Attorney's Office stated to the New York Post. "The sanctuary city law is pitiful, disgusting, and insane."

New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged the City Council to amend the city's sanctuary laws, stating that the city's law enforcement officers lack the authority to collaborate with ICE, and therefore must adhere to the law.

Planet Chronicle Digital did not receive an immediate response from Adams' office when requested for comment.

Some police officers in the city are frustrated with the lack of progress, with one Queens officer claiming that New York City resembles a "Third World Country."

"The New York Post reported that a police source described Roosevelt Avenue and 91st Street as resembling a scene from "Casablanca" due to the numerous vendors selling food, clothes, toys, electronics, and offering car washing services. However, the source also stated that the area has become a Third World country and that City Hall appears to disregard the concerns of the taxpayers who reside and work in the area."