Federal officials blame sanctuary-city policies after off-duty CBP officer wounded in New York and vow stepped-up enforcement

An off‑duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was wounded in a Saturday evening robbery in New York City, federal officials said at a news briefing, and Department of Homeland Security leaders blamed sanctuary‑city policies and federal immigration enforcement changes for allowing the suspect to remain in the country.

Secretary Christine Elma of the Department of Homeland Security said the officer and a friend were attacked and that the officer used his service weapon to defend them. Officials identified one suspect as Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, described by speakers as a Dominican national who "was entering into this country illegally back in 2023" and who, they said, had prior arrests and an active Massachusetts warrant. Officials said a second suspect was detained after the incident.

Why it matters: federal officials tied the attack to their broader criticism of local policies that, they said, result in people with criminal histories remaining in communities. At the briefing, leaders from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other federal enforcement officials called for local cooperation on detainers and said they would increase federal enforcement in…