New York Officials Respond to Allegations in House Judiciary Report
Three prominent New York officials appeared caught off guard when questioned about a report by the House Judiciary Committee. The document alleges that local prosecutors reduced charges against noncitizens to prevent deportation.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, were approached on the issue during a press conference in Manhattan. They faced inquiries regarding the alleged practice of altering or reducing charges for noncitizens, thereby assisting them in avoiding deportable convictions.
A reporter asked, “Did any of you order prosecutors to downgrade gun charges to keep illegal immigrants in the U. S., per the Judiciary Committee report?”
“Our answer couldn’t help it,” Katz replied with an apparent gesture of resignation, as reported by the New York Post. The conference was quickly redirected to other topics.
Katz’s office later provided a statement to Fox News Digital, asserting, “We charge any defendant with an illegal firearm with the highest possible charge under the law.” This response aligns the office’s stance against leniency in weapons cases.
The press briefing followed the dissemination of a 22-page report pointing to practices among New York City prosecutors. It claims Katz’s office employs an “Immigration Specialist” to negotiate plea deals that are “immigration-safe” and to amend past convictions.
Moreover, the report references a memorandum from 2022 by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, which allegedly instructs prosecutors to seek case resolutions that prevent deportation consequences for misdemeanors and non-prison felonies.
The report further indicates that the Bronx DA Darcel Clark’s office provides training in “Immigration-Conscious Plea Bargaining.” This includes offering non-deportable offenses, steering clear of aggravated felony charges, and utilizing “attempted reckless assault,” which are charges potentially lacking legal intent requirements.
Additionally, it suggests that prosecutors might omit details from conviction records—such as gun involvement and age of minor victims—to limit the information available to federal immigration authorities for deportation cases.
After the news conference, Katz’s spokesperson reiterated the stance on weapons cases, saying, “We charge any defendant with an illegal firearm with the highest possible charge under the law.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the offices of the other district attorneys in New York City for comments.