NYC ICE chief fires back at far-left politicians seeking to abolish agency: ‘Change the law’

Kenneth Genalo, who leads ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in New York City, has urged politicians who oppose the agency’s priorities to change the law rather than vilify its officers. His remarks came as calls to abolish ICE grow, and amid tensions between federal agents, protesters and local officials over immigration enforcement.

During a ride-along in Brooklyn, ICE said agents arrested two men: one facing a pending felony sexual abuse charge and another who had served seven years in prison for assault. Genalo said both had previously been held locally and released despite ICE detainer requests, arguing that limits on cooperation mean agents must make arrests on public streets. The article also cites a July letter signed by 143 New York elected officials, including 31 city council members, calling for ICE to be defunded and dismantled.