ICE arrested 2,197 people in New York in just 32 days.
That is the headline from “Operation Rotten Apple,” a sweeping federal immigration enforcement campaign carried out between July 27 and August 28, 2026. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the total in a press release, describing those arrested as individuals in the country illegally, including drug traffickers, child rapists, and murderers.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin made the announcement at a press conference, where he did not mince words. “Operation Rotten Apple did what sanctuary politicians in New York City and the state of New York refuse to do: made the Empire State safer,” he told reporters. Mullin added that every arrest was made without cooperation from local or state law enforcement agencies.
As originally reported, some of the individuals taken into custody had serious criminal histories. Colombian national Andreas Bernal Chiquito had prior arrests for sexually assaulting children. Plavinder Singh, an Indian national, had been convicted of rape in Germany. Carlos Mendez-Acosta, a Venezuelan national, also carried a prior rape conviction. All three were confirmed in a DHS press release.
Mullin used the press conference to take direct aim at New York Democrats, accusing them of shielding dangerous criminals from deportation through sanctuary policies. “We won’t let sanctuary politicians stand in our way. If you’re a state or local politician, your best bet is to cooperate with us so we can all make America safe again,” he said.
That frustration has real policy roots. Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul signed the “Local Crimes, Local Cop Act” in May 2026. The law took effect on August 25 and immediately forced several county sheriffs to dissolve their existing cooperation agreements with ICE. It also bars local law enforcement from working with federal immigration authorities more broadly.
Fifteen county sheriffs have responded by joining a lawsuit against the state over the legislation. Meanwhile, New York City added its own restrictions. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, signed a bill prohibiting ICE from operating inside Rikers Island or any other city correctional facility.
The tension between federal immigration enforcement and New York officials is not new, but the scale of Operation Rotten Apple and the specific legal obstacles now in place mark a notable escalation. Federal agents carried out nearly 2,200 arrests in a single month while simultaneously being locked out of cooperation with the very local agencies that typically share intelligence and custody of criminal suspects.
Mullin’s message was blunt. The operation named after New York City’s most famous nickname sent a clear signal that the administration intends to keep pushing, with or without local help.
