NY Officials Pressed on Report Alleging Prosecutors Downgraded Charges to Protect Immigrants
A House Judiciary Committee report claims some New York prosecutors intentionally reduced charges against noncitizens to prevent deportation.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez were questioned Thursday about a House Judiciary Committee report that alleges local prosecutors have downgraded charges against noncitizens to shield them from deportation.
During a press conference in Manhattan, reporters pressed the officials on claims that prosecutors altered or reduced charges to help noncitizens avoid convictions that would trigger removal from the United States. Katz responded to a reporter's question about whether she ordered prosecutors to downgrade gun charges by shrugging and stating, "Our answer couldn't help it," before the press conference moved on to other topics.
The congressional report details practices across several New York City prosecutors' offices. It asserts that Katz's office employs an "Immigration Specialist" to help negotiate "immigration-safe" plea deals and reduce prior convictions. The report also cites a 2022 memorandum from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg that allegedly instructed prosecutors to seek plea agreements that avoid deportation consequences for misdemeanors and non-carceral felonies.
Additionally, the report states that Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark's office trains prosecutors in "Immigration-Conscious Plea Bargaining." This training includes offering non-deportable offenses, avoiding aggravated felony charges, and employing hypothetical or "legally impossible" charges, such as "attempted reckless assault," which lack specific legal intent requirements.
Prosecutors were reportedly also instructed to omit critical details from official conviction records, such as gun involvement, domestic relationships, or the age of minor victims, to prevent federal immigration authorities from using them as grounds for removal.
Following the press conference, a spokesperson for Katz told the New York Post that the office charges defendants with illegal firearms with the highest possible charge under the law and never shows leniency in such cases. Fox News Digital has reached out to all five New York City district attorneys' offices for comment.