New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing backlash after criticizing the Department of Homeland Security following an NYC City Council employee’s detainment on Monday, January 12.
According to Fox News, DHS officials detained Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez, a New York City Council employee, in Nassau County during what was described as a routine immigration appointment. Federal authorities say Bohorquez overstayed a tourist visa that required him to leave the United States in 2017 and lacked valid work authorization. They also say he has a prior arrest for assault, though no additional details about that case were available at publication.
Although the City Council initially withheld the employee’s name, citing privacy concerns, DHS confirmed his identity and said he was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He was later brought to a Manhattan ICE facility.
Mamdani took to social media on Monday night, writing on X that he was “outraged” by the detainment.
I am outraged to hear a New York City Council employee was detained in Nassau County by federal immigration officials at a routine immigration appointment. This is an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values. I am calling for his immediate release and will continue…
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 12, 2026
“This is an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values,” Mamdani wrote. “I am calling for his immediate release and will continue to monitor the situation.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James also reacted on X, writing, “We will not stand for attacks on our city, its public servants, and its residents.”
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin fired back, saying Bohorquez had “no legal right” to be in the United States and was therefore lawfully detained.
“If you come to our country illegally and break our law, we will find you, and we will arrest you,” she said.
Bohorquez remained in custody as of Tuesday morning. City Council Speaker Julie Menin said at a press conference that Bohorquez had clearance to remain in the U.S. through October 2026 and has worked as a data analyst for roughly one year. She added that when Bohorquez was detained, he called the City Council’s human resources department requesting assistance.
As of Monday afternoon, the council had been unable to reach his family members. Bohorquez is from Venezuela, and it is unclear whether he has family members in the United States.
We are doing everything we can to secure the immediate release of our @NYCCouncil employee, who was detained today by federal immigration officials at a routine appointment, despite following the rules. We demand his return.
This action is a clear overreach, and we will fight… pic.twitter.com/nzlJyc1I6q
— Speaker Julie Menin (@SpeakerMenin) January 13, 2026
Social media users reacted strongly to Mamdani’s criticism of the detention, with many questioning why he would defend someone federal officials said was in the country unlawfully and had a prior arrest allegation.
“At a time when we need our leaders to take things down a notch, you continue to fan the flames of anti‑ICE sentiment,” one X user wrote.
Another wrote, “Outrage hits hard when it’s one of your own, but immigration laws protect our sovereignty and keep families safe. Time to respect the process and put order first.”
Mamdani’s X post had over 1.2 million views and nearly 7,000 replies as of Tuesday morning. Although some users praised Mamdani’s stance, many others expressed outrage and anger at his response.
“Eric Adams kept this city functional by balancing compassion with reality,” one reply read. “Mamdani’s ‘values’ are performative sabotage — New Yorkers pay the price while he tweets from the ruins.”
Mamdani, 34, was inaugurated on January 1. He is New York City’s youngest mayor since 1892 and the city’s first Indian‑American and Muslim mayor.
