House Judiciary report accuses NYC DAs of downgrading charges to protect illegal immigrants from deportation

A 22-page House Judiciary Committee report accuses several New York City district attorneys’ offices of reducing or tailoring charges and plea deals to limit deportation consequences for noncitizens. The claims prompted questions at a Manhattan press conference attended by Attorney General Letitia James and district attorneys Melinda Katz and Eric Gonzalez; the allegations could raise questions about how local prosecution decisions interact with federal immigration law.

The report says Katz’s office has an immigration specialist who helps negotiate “immigration-safe” pleas, while a 2022 memo from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg allegedly advised seeking outcomes that avoid deportation for misdemeanours and some felonies. It also alleges that the Bronx office trained prosecutors in immigration-conscious plea bargaining and that some offices omitted details from conviction records. Katz’s spokesperson denied leniency in weapons cases, saying defendants charged with illegal firearm possession face the highest possible charge; the article says other district attorneys’ offices were contacted for comment.