ICE Lodges Detainers on 2 in NYPD Stabbing
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · US IMMIGRATION
Key Facts
- —The country The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean country, and both men in this case are Dominican nationals.
- —Why it matters The case tests how far New York will go in helping federal immigration agents.
- —Why now ICE’s statement on its detainers reached Dominican news on Friday 23 October, three weeks after the attack.
- —What happened ICE says it lodged detainers on two Dominican men charged with stabbing an off-duty New York detective.
- —What it means for you New Yorkers, Dominican families and US readers see sanctuary rules and federal immigration enforcement collide.
- —Still open Whether New York will tell ICE before any release, and what happens in court on 3 December.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it has lodged ICE detainers on two Dominican men charged with stabbing an off-duty New York police detective in the Bronx on 2 October 2026. The statement on the ICE detainers, carried by the Dominican newspaper Diario Libre on Friday 23 October, returns New York’s sanctuary policies to the centre of a case that has drawn comment from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
The two men, D’Angelo Rafael Jean Caraballo, 25, and Sneider Mejía Bautista, 24, have pleaded not guilty and are held without bail in the Bronx. A detainer is a request that a jail tell the immigration agency before it releases someone, so it does not by itself send anyone out of the country.
The victim, Detective José Mercedes, 33, is described by Dominican media as a Dominican member of the New York Police Department (NYPD). That link explains the strong interest in the story in the Dominican Republic and among Dominican families in New York.
What Happened in the Bronx
Mercedes was off duty on Friday 2 October when two men on an electric bike approached him in the Norwood area of the Bronx, prosecutors say. They stabbed him several times and took a chain from his neck, police say, and prosecutors say he chased them for about two blocks before he collapsed.
Police said he was stabbed seven times, while Mercedes says it was ten. He was treated at Jacobi Hospital and later released, and a prosecutor told the court that nearly two weeks on he still could not use his left hand.
NYPD detectives working with a US Marshals fugitive task force found the two men hiding in a basement in Lynn, Massachusetts, on 6 October according to prosecutors, and police announced the arrests on Wednesday 7 October. Prosecutors say the pair had cut their hair and stopped using their phones after fleeing New York.
Both men were brought back to New York and pleaded not guilty at an arraignment in Bronx Supreme Court on Wednesday 14 October. The judge ordered them held without bail, and the next court date is 3 December.
What the Court Case Says
Gothamist reported that the indictment includes attempted murder of a police officer, attempted murder, aggravated assault on a police officer, robbery and weapon possession. Assistant District Attorney Paul Irace said the top charge carries a minimum of 20 years to life and a maximum of 40 years to life in prison.
Mejía Bautista faces one extra count, attempted first-degree murder during another crime, Gothamist said. Lawyers for both men did not ask for bail and did not speak to reporters.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch visited the detective in hospital on the day of the attack, according to Gothamist. The NYPD has said it stands behind him as he recovers.
Prosecutors say Mercedes identified himself as a police officer at least six times and tried to arrest the attackers while he was being stabbed. The men have not been convicted of anything, and the charges remain allegations until a court rules.
What ICE and Homeland Security Say
ICE says an immigration judge ordered Mejía Bautista deported, with the final removal order dated 8 May 2025, and that it lodged a detainer after his arrest on an alleged weapons offence in October 2025. ICE says New York City authorities refused to honour that request.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says Caraballo crossed into Arizona in February 2023 and Mejía Bautista in December 2022, and that both were released after being stopped by Border Patrol. It also lists earlier New York arrests for both men, which the sources describe as arrests and open cases rather than convictions.
Secretary Mullin said the crime “could have been prevented” if not for the previous administration’s border policies and New York’s sanctuary politicians, and that the men were released into the country under the previous administration. Those statements come from the federal government and have not been tested in court.
In Plain English
- ICE the US agency that arrests and removes people who are in the country illegally.
- Detainer a written request that a jail tell ICE before releasing someone, so ICE can take custody.
- Sanctuary policy a city rule that limits how local police and jails help federal immigration agents.
- Arraignment the first court hearing, where charges are read and a plea is entered.
- Removal order a judge’s order that a person must leave the United States.
What the ICE Detainers Mean
Federal rules describe a detainer as a notice that ICE seeks custody of a person already held by another agency. The rule calls it a request that the agency tell ICE before the person is released.
Because both men are held without bail on state charges, the ICE detainers matter mainly if a court frees them or the criminal case ends. The next court date is 3 December, and the coverage reviewed does not say what ICE plans before then.
ICE said in its statement, as carried by Diario Libre, that the city’s refusal to follow its detention requests has serious consequences, including for police officers. The coverage reviewed carries no reply from New York City to that criticism.
New York City limits how its police and jails help federal immigration agents, and ICE says that policy is why the October 2025 request on Mejía Bautista was not honoured. Diario Libre notes that such policies limit cooperation with federal agencies only in certain circumstances.
What It Means for You
For US readers, the case shows how a single violent crime can turn into a national fight over who may hold or release immigrants in sanctuary cities. ICE detainers can follow a person through the criminal process, as this case shows.
For Dominican families in New York and at home, the story adds to the pressure of recent weeks. Our earlier report on a Dominican man shot by an ICE officer in Manhattan on 8 October is a separate case that also involves Dominican nationals and federal agents in New York.
Our guides to Dominican Republic security and crime and who holds power in the Dominican Republic give background on the home country. Visitors planning a move can read our Santo Domingo expat city guide.
What Is Not Known
ICE’s own release could not be opened for this article because its website blocked automated reading, so the ICE details rest on Diario Libre’s account of the statement and on federal statements carried by other outlets. The date of the ICE release and the exact day the detainers were lodged are therefore not confirmed.
On 7 October NTD News said ICE had not yet answered whether new detainers had been placed, so the timing of the new detainers is unclear. It is also unknown whether New York City will honour the ICE detainers by telling ICE before any release.
The immigration histories come from DHS and ICE and could not be checked in court records here. The sources also differ on small points, such as whether the detective was stabbed seven times (police) or ten (Mercedes), how far he chased the men (two blocks per prosecutors, five per Mercedes) and the exact street, while the arraignment was on Wednesday 14 October, a day after the men were led out of a Bronx police station.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did ICE announce about the Bronx stabbing suspects?
ICE says it lodged detainers on D’Angelo Jean Caraballo and Sneider Mejía Bautista, both Dominican nationals. The statement was carried by Diario Libre on 23 October 2026.
What is an ICE detainer?
It is a request that a jail tell ICE before releasing someone, so ICE can seek custody. Federal rules describe it as a request, not a judge’s order.
Are the two men guilty?
No, both pleaded not guilty on 14 October and are held without bail. The charges remain allegations until a court rules.
When is the next court date?
The next court date in the Bronx case is 3 December 2026. Both men stay in custody until then.
What does it mean for US readers?
It shows how sanctuary rules and federal immigration enforcement can clash after a violent crime. The outcome may shape how New York handles ICE detainers in future cases.
Sources: Diario Libre, 23 October 2026; Gothamist, 14 October 2026; News 12, 14 October 2026; NTD News, 7 October 2026; CBS News New York, 7 October 2026; Officer.com, 14 October 2026; 8 CFR 287.7, US immigration detainer rule.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief