NYC refuses ICE request to detain suspect in deadly arson, DHS says
New York City officials have refused a request from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold a suspect accused of arson that resulted in four deaths and seven injuries, according to DHS officials. The suspect, Roman Ceron Amatitla, 38, a Mexican national, is charged with eight counts of second-degree murder and first-degree arson.
Amatitla is accused of setting a three-story building in Flushing on fire March 16. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said he entered and exited the building multiple times that day, urinated in front of the apartments, and bought beer from a nearby gas station. Authorities allege he stole a second beer and a pack of matches after refusing to pay for a lighter.
Katz said Amatitla returned to the building for a final time, lit a piece of paper on fire, and tossed it onto trash near a stairwell. As smoke filled the street, Katz said Amatitla stayed nearby, watching people jump from windows as he drank beer. She described his actions as an “act of mass murder.”
Despite ICE requesting that Amatitla be detained, the New York City Department of Corrections declined, citing the city’s sanctuary policies. DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis criticized the decision, calling it “insanity” that allows dangerous individuals to reoffend. She urged local officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul, to reconsider the policy.
DHS claims that from Jan. 20 to Dec. 1, more than 6,900 illegal immigrants accused of serious crimes, including homicides and assaults, have been released by New York authorities due to the city’s refusal to honor ICE detainers. During the same period, over 7,100 illegal immigrants with active detainers were in custody, with some facing charges such as homicide and sexual offenses.
While DHS confirmed Amatitla is an illegal immigrant, details about his entry into the U.S. remain unclear. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over sanctuary policies and immigration enforcement in New York City, which critics say compromise public safety.
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