NYC Council employee’s immigration arrest sparks protests
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez, a New York City Council employee and asylum-seeker from Venezuela, was detained by ICE during a routine immigration check-in, sparking protests and outrage from city officials.
- ICE claims Rubio Bohorquez overstayed a tourist visa and had a prior assault arrest, while city officials and a court petition assert he has no criminal record and was legally authorized to work in the U.S. until October.
- A habeas corpus petition filed on his behalf argues he was wrongfully detained after attending a scheduled asylum interview, with a court hearing set for Friday.
- New York leaders, including City Council Speaker Julie Menin, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Governor Kathy Hochul, condemned the arrest
