Illegal Migrants Linked to Shooting of CBP Officer \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A second suspect has been arrested in the weekend shooting of an off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer in Manhattan. Both suspects are illegal immigrants from the Dominican Republic with criminal records. The incident has reignited tensions over New York City’s immigration and sanctuary policies.
Quick Looks
- Second suspect, Christhian Aybar Berroa, arrested in connection to off-duty officer’s shooting.
- The officer was shot in the face and arm during a robbery attempt.
- First suspect, Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, was also wounded and arrested Sunday.
- Both suspects allegedly entered the U.S. illegally from the Dominican Republic.
- Suspects have criminal histories, including grand larceny and domestic violence.
- Aybar Berroa had been ordered deported but was released by NYC authorities.
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem slammed NYC for ignoring detainer requests.
- Mayor Eric Adams distanced himself from broad sanctuary city protections.
- Adams supports targeting “dangerous migrants” while preserving protection for others.
- Ongoing political and legal tensions persist around local-federal immigration cooperation.
Deep Look
Law enforcement officials have announced the arrest of a second suspect in the violent weekend shooting of an off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer in New York City — an incident now fueling a fierce political clash over immigration enforcement and public safety.
The suspect, identified as Christhian Aybar Berroa, was arrested on Monday and is alleged to be the getaway driver in what authorities describe as a robbery gone wrong late Saturday night. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed Aybar Berroa’s role and said he would appear in federal court in Manhattan later in the day.
The shooting occurred under the George Washington Bridge in upper Manhattan, where the 42-year-old off-duty CBP officer was sitting with a woman. Two suspects — riding a moped — allegedly approached the pair intending to rob them. Realizing the danger, the officer pulled his service weapon, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
The officer, whose name has not been released, sustained gunshot wounds to the face and arm but is expected to recover, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. His alleged assailant, Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, was also wounded in the groin and leg. Mora Nunez was arrested Sunday after arriving at a Bronx hospital seeking treatment.
Authorities say both men illegally entered the U.S. from the Dominican Republic, and both have amassed extensive criminal histories during their short time in the country. Mora Nunez, 21, reportedly crossed into the U.S. in 2023 and has been arrested twice for domestic violence. He’s also wanted in Massachusetts for a stolen weapons case and in New York for robbery and felony assault.
Aybar Berroa, who entered the U.S. in 2022, has already been arrested eight times, mostly for grand larceny and theft-related charges. According to Homeland Security, he was ordered deported by an immigration judge in 2023, but NYC authorities released him, allegedly ignoring federal detainer requests that would have allowed ICE to take him into custody.
Homeland Security Secretary Noem didn’t mince words. “There’s absolutely zero reason that someone who is scum of the earth like this should be running loose on the streets of New York City,” she said at a press conference. Noem laid the blame squarely on New York’s sanctuary policies, which limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
New York City has long had protections in place for undocumented immigrants, arguing that these policies encourage community trust, allowing immigrants to report crimes or seek emergency care without fear of deportation. In 2019, the state passed legislation ending pretrial incarceration for most nonviolent offenses, a move critics say contributed to repeated releases of high-risk individuals.
At a separate event, Mayor Eric Adams acknowledged the seriousness of the crime and reiterated his long-standing calls for a crackdown on dangerous asylum seekers and criminal migrants. A former NYPD captain, Adams has often expressed support for closer collaboration between local and federal agencies, particularly when it comes to violent offenders.
“I’ve always been clear: stop the revolving door system,” Adams said. “Go after the dangerous migrants and asylum seekers.”
Still, Adams defended the broader framework of sanctuary policies, saying they’re vital to public health and safety for the city’s immigrant population. He emphasized that these rules were not meant to protect violent offenders, but to foster trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.
Earlier this year, Adams issued an executive order granting federal immigration officials office space at Rikers Island, a city jail facility, in a move seen as a nod to increased enforcement cooperation. That initiative — which echoed priorities from Trump-era immigration policy — was recently blocked by a state judge, after the New York City Council sued, calling it a covert policy shift that could violate local laws.
The council argued that Adams may have changed city policy to curry favor with the Justice Department, which is currently pursuing an unrelated corruption investigation involving the mayor. Adams’ office has denied any quid pro quo.
With both suspects now in custody, the focus has turned to how their immigration status and prior criminal activity intersected with law enforcement breakdowns. Critics argue this case illustrates the dangers of failing to detain or deport individuals with violent criminal records, especially when federal authorities have issued legal detainers.
The CBP officer remains hospitalized and is expected to recover fully. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies and immigration officials prepare for legal proceedings against both suspects, which may include federal charges.
The broader debate about sanctuary cities and public safety continues — now with a real-world example bringing new urgency and controversy to the issue in America’s largest city.
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