Breaking
The two men wanted for stabbing an off-duty NYPD detective in the Bronx are illegal aliens from the Dominican Republic who were released into the country under the Biden administration and later freed by New York authorities despite multiple prior arrests, according to the Department of Homeland Security. DHS identified the suspects as Dangelo Rafael Jean Caraballo, 25, and Sneider Mejia Bautista, 24. Both remain at large.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the attack never should have happened. “This horrific crime could have been prevented if it weren’t for Biden’s open borders and the America Last policies of New York sanctuary politicians,” Mullin said. Detective Jose Mercedes, who was stabbed and slashed seven times during the Oct. 2 attack, was released from the hospital Monday.
Details & Background
According to police accounts reported by Fox News, Mercedes was off duty and clearing out the trunk of his car in the Bronx’s Norwood neighborhood when two men on an e-bike tried to rip a gold chain from his neck. He fought back and was stabbed and slashed seven times, then chased his attackers on foot for about two blocks before collapsing near East 206th Street and Rochambeau Avenue. He was treated at Jacobi Medical Center, where he arrived in a wheelchair on the day of his release and walked out on his own.
DHS says Bautista illegally crossed into Arizona in December 2022, was encountered by Border Patrol and released, and received a final order of removal on May 8, 2025. After his arrest on a weapon possession charge in October 2025, ICE lodged a detainer, but the NYPD declined to honor it. Caraballo illegally crossed into Arizona in February 2023, was arrested by Border Patrol and released, and was later freed by local authorities in December 2024 before ICE could lodge a detainer. His prior arrests include reckless endangerment, reckless driving, fleeing police, possession of burglar’s tools, drug possession and weapon possession. Bautista’s record includes possession of stolen property, possession of burglar’s tools, grand larceny and weapon possession. Both releases came before Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office in January.
Reactions
Mullin’s full statement placed blame squarely on federal and local policy. “Both of these suspects were RELEASED into the country by the Biden Administration, and despite multiple prior arrests in New York, sanctuary politicians refused to cooperate with ICE and released them,” he said. “These suspects remain at-large. DHS is calling on New York authorities to cooperate with us so we can get these dangerous criminals off our streets. Our thoughts and prayers are with the detective for a speedy recovery.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch praised the detective as he left the hospital. “Today, in another incredible feat of strength and determination, Detective Mercedes got up from his wheelchair and walked out of Jacobi Medical Center on his own two feet,” Tisch said, adding, “The entire department stands behind Detective Mercedes.” Mamdani said he visited the detective and his family with Tisch. “I am hoping for his quick and complete recovery,” the mayor said. His public statement on the attack focused on the detective’s recovery.
Why This Matters to You
Detainers exist so that people who are in the country illegally and already in local custody can be handed to federal immigration officers instead of being released back onto the street. Under New York City law, local authorities generally will not hold someone for ICE without a judicial warrant and certain serious criminal convictions. In this case, one suspect already had a final deportation order and a declined detainer, and the other was released before ICE could act. If DHS’s account is accurate, the system had chances to remove both men well before a police officer was attacked.
The case puts a spotlight on the national fight over sanctuary policies, border releases and cooperation between cities and federal immigration authorities. It is a fight that affects public safety in every community, not just New York. Two suspects with long arrest records remain at large, and a detective who nearly lost his life is now the latest example of what can happen when immigration law and local policy collide. How New York responds to DHS’s call for cooperation will be a test that law enforcement across the country will be watching.
