An illegal immigrant who was released from custody after allegedly participating in an assault on two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers has been arrested again, this time for his role in what law enforcement claims is a coordinated assault and robbery at a Macy’s store.
Darwin Andres Gomez-Izquiel, 19, was arrested on Feb. 13 and charged with robbery and petit larceny after allegedly being part of a group of people who stole from the retail outlet and assaulted an employee, according to police.
Mr. Gomez-Izquiel is one of four people who allegedly entered the Queens Center Mall at about 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 13 and attempted to steal merchandise by stuffing it into bags. After being confronted by a security guard, one of the suspects punched him in the face before attempting to flee. Mr. Gomez-Izquiel was able to run off but was apprehended a short distance away, according to police.
The security guard suffered minor injuries but refused medical attention at the scene, according to police.
This most recent arrest of Mr. Gomez-Izquiel has re-ignited the debate over the city’s controversial bail reforms and immigration laws.
Less than a month ago, he had been accused of grabbing one officer and kicking another on Jan. 27 in New York’s Times Square. The attack, caught on surveillance footage, provoked nationwide outrage.
A total of seven persons have been indicted for attacking the officers, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced during a Feb. 8 news conference with New York City Mayor Eric Adams. In addition to Mr. Gomez-Izquiel, four other illegal immigrants, 24-year-old Yohenry Brito Darwin, 21-year-old Wilson Juarez, 19-year-old Kelvin Servita Arocha, and 24-year-old Yorman Reveron, were charged with assault and obstructing governmental administration.
After the arrests, prosecutors declined to ask for bail at their arraignment, and all were set free. Prosecutors at the time said they needed more time to determine each defendant’s role in the attack.
The move drew criticism from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“I’m not satisfied with that at all,” she said in response to a reporter’s question about the release of the illegal immigrants. “These are law enforcement officers who should never, under any circumstances, be subjected to physical assault. It’s wrong on all accounts, and I’m looking to judges and prosecutors to do the right thing.”
In addition to bail reform measures passed in 2020 that limit law enforcement’s ability to hold suspects, Manhattan is also facing the consequences of a growing surge of illegal immigrants into New York City, the only locality in the state considered to be a “sanctuary city.”
The city has long claimed a legal obligation to provide housing for every resident under the so-called right-to-shelter law, established in 1981. The rule came into existence after advocates for the homeless claimed the right to shelter in a lawsuit. The city agreed with the homeless advocates, signing a “consent decree,” which pledged to provide shelter to anyone suffering “physical, mental, or social dysfunction.”
City officials claim an estimated influx of 100,000 illegal immigrants has strained the city’s resources and services. Mayor Adams has insisted that New York City can’t sustain the numbers of new illegal immigrants, even by utilizing the outer boroughs, and has called on the rest of the state to help ease the burden.
The wave of illegal immigrants has also been draining the state treasury. According to Ms. Hochul, in her 2025 budget proposal, $2.4 billion is directed toward illegal immigrants, which reflects an increase of $500 million compared to last year because of the influx of new immigrant-related expenses.
An NYPD officer who wasn’t directly involved in the investigation told The Epoch Times that the wave of illegal immigrants combined with a “revolving door” policy for criminals has decimated morale among the rank and file.
“It’s like we are playing a game of whack-a-mole where the second we do the work to take one of these types off the street, they are back out the same day and doing the same [thing],” said the officer, who requested anonymity because of fear of retribution. “They know that we know there are no real consequences for crime here, and as a result, there is really no incentive to stop bad behavior.
“A lot of [officers] took this job because we wanted to make a difference, but this ... isn’t what any of us thought our jobs would be like.”
Mr. Gomez-Izquiel is expected to be arraigned on the new charges on Feb. 16.
