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Kristi Noem rips ‘sanctuary’ policies after CBP officer is shot in NYC, ‘How many more lives will it take?’
Kristi Noem has blamed “sanctuary” policies after an illegal immigrant was accused of shooting a Customs and Border Protection officer in New York City.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has blamed “sanctuary” policies after an illegal immigrant was accused of shooting a Customs and Border Protection officer in New York City during an attempted robbery over the weekend. Noem on Monday, July 21, visited the CBP officer who was shot.
The officer was allegedly hit in the face and forearm in Manhattan’s Riverside Park Saturday night, July 19, when the suspect opened fire. Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez was later taken into custody. The suspect had previously been caught by Border Patrol in April 2023, Fox News reported.
"There's absolutely zero reason that someone who is scum of the earth like this should be running loose on the streets of New York City," Noem told reporters on Monday, referencing Nunez. "He was arrested four different times in New York City, and because of the mayor's policies and sanctuary city policies, was released back to do harm to people and to individuals living in this city."
"We were able to bring the second individual in and have detained him as well, and he will face consequences and hopefully strong prosecution for his crimes and his involvement on Saturday night," she added, identifying that suspect as Christhian Aybar-Berroa, an illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic who "entered the country illegally in 2022 under the Biden Administration and was ordered for final removal in 2023 by an immigration judge."
Nunez was previously caught at the Arizona border, but was released into the US. He still has an active deportation order.
‘How many more people have to be hurt and victimized before we have public safety?’
Noem said after visiting the injured officer on Monday, "I just want you all to know that we have our hearts and our prayers going out with our officer and with his family and his friends, and will be lifting him up in prayer for his quick recovery and his healing from this terrible tragedy that has befallen him."
"Our officer was off-duty on Saturday evening when him and his friend were attacked. They were attacked by two individuals that were set on robbing them, and thankfully he had his service weapon with him and was able to defend himself and his friend and injured one of those individuals that was trying to do them harm. His quick action speaks to his tenacity and his excellence in training and skill. And because of that, one of the perpetrators was wounded in this interaction and was incarcerated when he came in to get medical treatment," Noem added.
Noem then went on to urge every mayor and sanctuary city and sanctuary governor to change their existing policies. She said, "Their job is to take an oath to protect the public, to protect families that are out there every single day trying to provide for each other and to try to live the American dream. And they want to do so safely in their own communities. How many more lives will it take? How many more people have to be hurt and victimized before we have public safety? When I look at what Mayor Adams has done to New York City, it breaks my heart to see the families that have suffered because of his policies."
“We can look across this country at other mayors. We look at Mayor Wu in Boston and what has happened there under her watch, what's happened in LA with the riots and the violence and the protests that have gone on because of Mayor Bass and what she has perpetuated. When you look at Mayor Johnson in Chicago and how devastating it is to live in that city in some of those poorest communities, how they suffer every single day with the violence that's in front of them," Noem added.
‘Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals’
Border czar Tom Homan also visited the injured officer, he said. "I visited the officer last night, of course, he was heavily sedated, so I didn't have words with him," he said. "But I did talk to his family. They're devastated. It's just -- it's just a shock to the soul when you walk in and see that young man laying there."
"Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals. President Trump is not going to tolerate it," he further said, adding that sanctuary cities are now “our priority” and that they will “flood the zone.”
