Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is prosecuting Donald Trump in the Stormy Daniels hush money case, is facing criticism after several migrants who were filmed attacking two New York City police officers were released without bail.
Several suspects believed to be involved in the attack caught on video last weekend were arrested, and five were released without bail shortly afterward. One of the suspects, identified as Yohenry Brito, was released on bail of $15,000, but the suspects released without bail boarded buses to leave the city, local media reported.
"WANTED for ASSAULT: on 1/27 at approx 8:30 PM, individuals kicked & punched police officers in the head & body when officers were effecting an arrest in front of 220 W 42nd Street. The individuals fled on foot towards 7th Ave," NYPD News said on X (formerly Twitter).
The incident came as Democrats and President Joe Biden have been criticized for a security crisis at the Mexico border and the surge in migrants illegally entering the U.S.
Shortly after the migrant suspects were released without bail, Bragg drew fire, with former New York congressman and GOP gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin saying, "Alvin Bragg didn't even request bail!"
Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Zeldin said, "As if we needed another reason why the Governor should have fired Bragg as DA by now. So now this is on Hochul for tolerating this BS."
He continued, "I would have told Bragg on Day One as Governor that he was being fired for refusing to enforce the law."
Former New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa tweeted, "Each migrant was RELEASED by [Mayor] Eric Adams' friend Alvin Bragg. This is a disgrace. There is no enforcement. Yet, Adams refuses to call out Alvin Bragg for letting coronals back on the streets."
X user Manhattan Mingle said, "They crossed the border illegally, beat two cops and Alvin Bragg didn't request bail. Governor Hochul needs to fire DA Alvin Bragg for refusing to enforce the law."
Newsweek reached out to the NYPD and Bragg's office via email for comment.
Speaking about the incident this week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul suggested the state should deport the migrants involved in the attack.
"Get them all and send them back," Hochul said. "I think that's actually something that should be looked at. I mean, if someone commits a crime against a police officer in the state of New York and they're not here legally. Definitely worth checking into."
During a press conference, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said about the incident: "You have eight people attacking a lieutenant and a cop.... The four that were arrested should be sitting in Rikers right now on bail."
In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for Bragg's office said, "Violence against police officers is never acceptable. It is paramount that we conclusively identify each defendant and specify each participant's role in the incident. Every defendant charged so far is facing felony charges that carry a penalty of up to seven years."
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Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek staff writer based in New York. His focus is reporting social issues and crime. In ... Read more
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