Hochul Fails To Recall Illegal Aliens Charged In High-profile Criminal Cases, Including Woman's Subway Burning

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul could not callback nan specifications of respective high-profile cases involving forbidden immigrants charged pinch convulsive offenses successful her location authorities during a legislature proceeding connected Thursday. 

During a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., highlighted really Hochul extended an executive order, "a continuation of your predecessor's sanctuary authorities policies," 3 times, astir precocious connected Jan. 16, 2025. Hochul's predecessor is erstwhile New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is presently moving to go politician of New York City. 

The bid states that authorities officers aliases labor shall not disclose accusation to national migration authorities "for nan intent of national civilian migration enforcement." It goes connected to opportunity rule enforcement officers "may not usage resources, instrumentality aliases unit for nan intent of detecting and apprehending immoderate individual suspected aliases wanted for violating a civilian migration office." The argumentation besides says rule enforcement officers "have nary authority successful nan State of New York to return immoderate argumentation action, solely because nan personification is an undocumented alien." 

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Rep. Elise Stefanik questions New York Gov. Kathy Hochul during a House Committee connected Oversight and Government Reform hearing, Thursday, June 12, 2025, astatine nan U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Stefanik, who is considering a imaginable gubernatorial run, past proceeded to quiz Hochul connected respective caller high-profile cases successful New York, but nan Democratic politician drew a blank. 

Hochul did not admit nan sanction of Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, an forbidden migrant from Guatemala who was charged pinch mounting a sleeping female connected occurrence connected a New York City subway successful December 2024. The victim, 57-year-old Debrina Kawam, was reportedly homeless. Zapeta-Calil was reportedly deported successful 2018 and illegally re-entered nan U.S. 

"Do you cognize who Sebastian Zapeta-Calil is?" Stefanik asked Hochul. 

Hochul responded, "I'm judge you'll show me. There's galore cases…."

"These are high-profile cases," Stefanik interjected. "New Yorkers cognize astir them, and you don’t. So let's talk astir Sebastian Zapeta-Calil. Do you cognize who that is?" 

"I don't person nan circumstantial specifications astatine my disposal, no," Hochul said. 

Stefanik continued, "Well, this is an forbidden migrant successful New York because of your sanctuary authorities policies. Do you cognize what crime he committed?" 

"I’m not acquainted astatine this moment," Hochul admitted. 

Stefanik responded, "I stake you’re going to beryllium acquainted erstwhile I punctual you. He recovered a sleeping female connected nan subway, lit her connected occurrence and burned her alive." 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul be a House Committee connected Oversight and Government Reform hearing, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

"This is successful Kathy Hochul’s New York," Stefanik said. "And arsenic I'm judge you are aware, and I'll punctual you, that ICE issued an bid to detain this convulsive criminal, but that was rejected by New York officials owed to sanctuary authorities laws." 

The politician besides grounded to retrieve Sakir Akkan. The 21-year-old forbidden migrant from Turkey pleaded blameworthy to forcing a 15-year-old woman into his car successful Albany, New York, and raping her successful May 2024. The lawsuit stirred contention because section officials reportedly gave conflicting statements astir whether Akkan’s migration position impacted their determination not to notify nan nationalist of nan rape and his consequent arrest, according to nan Albany Times Union.

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"Do you cognize who Sakir Akkan is? You should arsenic nan politician of New York state. Do you know?" Stefanik pressed, arsenic Hochul attempted to deflect respective times. 

"Refresh my recollection," Hochul said. 

"He was an forbidden migrant successful New York," Stefanik said, "And do you cognize what crime he committed successful summation to being present illegally?"

"No, I do not," Hochul said. 

"You do not? This was wide reported," Stefanik said. "He recovered a 15-year-old girl, threatened her pinch a metallic pole, told her to get into nan backseat of his car. He took her apparel off, and he violently raped her successful Albany, New York." 

The politician besides tried to deflect and speak much broadly astir authorities policies erstwhile Stefanik asked her specifically if she recalled Raymond Rojas Basilio. The antecedently removed Mexican nationalist was convicted of molesting a unfortunate little than 11 years old. ICE arrested nan 36-year-old fugitive extracurricular his Queens residence successful December.  

"He is an forbidden who molested an 11-year-old successful our authorities because, again, of your sanctuary authorities policies," Stefanik said. "This forbidden was shielded from national migration enforcement and capable to perpetrate this heinous crime."

Illegal migrant rape fishy Wilson Castillo Diaz is pictured successful an Oct. 22, 2024, mugshot provided by nan Nassau County Police Department. (Nassau County Police)

Stefanik again pressed Hochul connected whether she knew who Wilson Castillo Diaz was, but nan politician responded, "I’m telling you this, we do cooperate afloat pinch ICE successful criminal prosecutions." 

The congresswoman changeable back, "You’re not advocating connected behalf of these victims."  

Police successful Nassau County, New York, arrested Castillo Diaz, different forbidden immigrant, successful October 2024 for allegedly raping a 5-year-old girl.

"You are shielding illegals," Stefanik told Hochul. "That is rapes of young girls, beatings of NYPD cops by illegals who are present nether Kathy Hochul's grounded policies, burning New Yorkers alive. This is Kathy Hochul's New York. It's 1 of nan galore reasons why you're hemorrhaging support from hard-working New York families." 

The politician said those were "horrific crimes," but Stefanik interjected. 

"They're horrific crimes that are committed connected your watch," Stefanik said. "You motion this executive bid connected your first time successful office. You motion it again and again this January. We merit a politician who stands up for law-abiding New Yorkers, doesn't put illegals first, but really puts New Yorkers first."

Hochul said nan authorities does cooperate pinch national rule enforcement connected criminal matters and said Stefanik's "representation of nan facts is perfectly false." 

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The politician besides accused Stefanik of trying to create a "viral moment," but nan congresswoman asserted, "I'm opinionated up for New Yorkers."