Operation Rotten Apple landed with a thud in New York, and the message from Homeland Security was loud and unmistakable: the federal government is pushing hard on immigration enforcement while city and state leaders keep getting in the way. Markwayne Mullin said the sweep led to thousands of arrests and called out New York’s sanctuary approach as a direct threat to public safety.
At the center of the firestorm was a blunt attack on Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mullin argued that both officials have chosen politics over policing, and he framed that choice as the reason dangerous people were able to stay loose on the streets for so long.
“Operation Rotten Apple was initiated because New York City has a liberal, socialist mayor who, instead of working with law enforcement, tried to cut NYPD’s budget by $22 million and refused to cooperate with federal law enforcement. You also have a governor who refuses to work with us. Over the last 30 days, Operation Rotten Apple has taken over 2,100 of the worst criminals off our streets statewide,” Mullin said.
The press conference leaned heavily on examples meant to show how serious the arrests were. Mullin pointed to three foreign nationals with violent histories, including one Indian national who reportedly had an INTERPOL red notice connected to an alleged rape case in Germany, and a Ukrainian citizen with convictions tied to kidnapping, weapons possession, and murder.
That kind of detail was used to sharpen the larger point, which was that sanctuary policies can turn into a shield for people who should never have been left roaming around in the first place. Mullin said New York’s refusal to fully cooperate with federal authorities helped create the mess, and he made it clear that local leaders were not just being difficult, they were making the job harder for officers trying to protect the public.
He also took direct aim at the political rhetoric coming from City Hall. After Mamdani said ICE raids were “cruel, inhumane and do nothing to protect public safety,” Mullin pushed back hard and said the real cruelty would be leaving violent offenders on the street while police hands were tied.
“These individuals should never have been on our streets. While radical-left sanctuary states protect illegal immigrants, the Trump administration and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers are out there every day protecting Americans,” he said.
The criticism did not stop with the mayor. Mullin singled out Hochul for ending 287(g) agreements, which allow local police departments to work more closely with federal immigration officers, and he argued that cutting off that cooperation only helps criminals and hurts ordinary families.
“Keep in mind that seven of the safest cities in the country cooperate with ICE and the 287(g) program,” he said.
He also insisted that many local sheriffs and police chiefs privately want to work with federal agents, even if politicians put them in a tough spot. According to Mullin, the real divide is not between law enforcement and the public, but between officers who want to do their jobs and elected officials who keep stepping on the brakes.
“In private, almost every sheriff and police chief wants to work with us. They took an oath to enforce the law, but radical local politicians prevent them from doing their jobs. I thank the sheriffs who stand up against local political interference on behalf of their constituents. Restoring law and order is an issue supported by 80% of the public across party lines,” Mullin continued.
He also made clear that New York should expect more federal pressure if cooperation does not improve. Mullin said the government is ready to send additional agents into New York and other cities that keep resisting immigration enforcement, and he tied that push directly to President Trump’s promise to restore safety.
“Because local leadership refuses to cooperate through the 287(g) program, we will send as many personnel as necessary to restore law and order. President Trump loves New York and is committed to restoring safety here alongside ICE and DHS,” Mullin said.
