Judge Orders NYC to Turn Over Shelter Resident Information to ICE
On November 10, 2026, New York City was weighing its next steps after a federal judge ordered Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration to comply with an ICE subpoena for information about residents of the Bronx’s last emergency shelter for migrants. The order, issued November 6, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, covers names and birthdates of residents with specified serious criminal histories.
The listed offenses include homicide, criminally causing death, sexual assault, robbery, physical attack, felony theft, unlawful entry and assault of a law enforcement officer. ICE has said it is investigating whether residents may be subject to deportation. An agency officer said in a sworn affidavit that ICE knew of 20 residents who had crossed into the country without authorization, while 12 faced accusations of a serious offense.
Kaplan said the city had not shown that producing the information would be unduly burdensome. ICE agreed to have a special master identify residents with the specified criminal histories and provide only their names to the agency. City attorneys had opposed the subpoena, arguing the request would require a broad and burdensome investigation. The mayor’s office said it was “evaluating next steps.”
The shelter housed more than 1,400 migrant men at the end of June, down from 1,670 in February. It opened in February 2025 and is the only city shelter specifically designated for migrants operating outside the regular Department of Homeless Services system. Mamdani announced plans to close it by the end of 2026. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, who had opposed the shelter, also objected to the ruling, writing “HELL NO!” in a social media post.
Court Order Puts Migrant Shelter Residents’ Information in ICE’s Reach
A federal court has sided with ICE in its demand for information about residents of New York City’s last emergency migrant shelter, ordering Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration to turn over names and birthdates for residents with certain serious criminal histories. The ruling puts federal immigration enforcement in direct contact with information held by a city that had fought the subpoena and cited its sanctuary-city status.
The specified offenses include homicide, criminally causing death, sexual assault, robbery, physical attack, felony theft, unlawful entry and assault of a law enforcement officer. ICE says it is investigating whether residents may be deportable. Its sworn affidavit cited 20 residents who had crossed into the country without authorization and 12 who faced accusations of a serious offense.
Judge Lewis Kaplan said the city had not shown that producing the requested information would be unduly burdensome. ICE agreed to a special master who would identify residents with the listed histories and provide only their names to the agency. That limitation narrows the disclosure, but it does not change the central outcome: the city must comply with a federal immigration subpoena.
The Bronx facility housed more than 1,400 migrant men at the end of June and is the last of the city’s Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers. Mamdani has said it will close by the end of 2026. The city says it is evaluating its next steps, while Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson publicly condemned the ruling.
Judge Clears ICE to Seek Records on Shelter Residents With Serious Charges
A federal judge has ordered New York City to provide ICE with information about residents of a Bronx migrant shelter who have specified serious criminal histories, rejecting the city’s claim that the subpoena would require an unduly burdensome investigation. The ruling allows a limited inquiry into residents ICE says may be subject to deportation.
The offenses covered include homicide, criminally causing death, sexual assault, robbery, physical attack, felony theft, unlawful entry and assault of a law enforcement officer. In a sworn affidavit, an ICE official said the agency knew of 20 residents who had entered the country without authorization, while 12 faced accusations of a serious offense. ICE agreed that a special master would identify residents with the listed histories and provide only their names to the agency.
Judge Lewis Kaplan concluded that New York City had not demonstrated that producing the information would be unduly burdensome. The administration had fought the subpoena and pointed to the city’s sanctuary-city status. Its response to the ruling is that it is evaluating next steps; the order nevertheless requires compliance.
The shelter is the city’s last emergency facility specifically designated for migrants, and it housed more than 1,400 men at the end of June. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced plans to close it by the end of 2026. The case centers on whether ICE can obtain narrowly limited information to investigate potential deportation cases, even over the city’s objections.
Reported by Gothamist, Denver7.
