The Chief of Patrol of the New York Police Department, John Chell, recently voiced his frustration with New York City’s sanctuary status, arguing that it has shielded violent criminals who are in the country illegally.
Chell took to social media on Tuesday to express his concerns and urged for a review and potential revision of the city’s policies.
The sanctuary status currently prohibits local law enforcement from collaborating with federal immigration authorities.
Chell wrote on X, “People from across the globe come to NYC in pursuit of a better life—the American Dream. However, a small portion have other intentions, including committing crimes and preying on the people of New York City. Daniel Davon-Bonilla is one such predator.”
According to the Department of Homeland Security, a 24-year-old Nicaraguan national named Davon-Bonilla illegally entered the country through Eagle Pass, Texas in December 2022.
In 2023, Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a detainer request against him following an accusation of rape at a La Quinta Hotel in Gowanus, which had been repurposed as a shelter for illegal immigrants.
After being arrested for the alleged crime, Davon-Bonilla reached a plea deal a year later and was subsequently released back onto the streets when local law enforcement disregarded ICE’s detainer request.
This past weekend, he was arrested once more by New York City police officers for reportedly raping a woman at knifepoint in Coney Island.
“When will our sanctuary city laws be amended to allow us to notify federal authorities regarding the deportation of non-citizens convicted of violent crimes?” Chell questioned. “Failing to act enables individuals like Daniel Davon-Bonilla to continue victimizing women in our city.”
“He was arrested in April 2023 for sexually assaulting a woman in Brooklyn,” he continued. “The criminal justice system did its job—he was convicted, sentenced, and released in June 2024. But after being released, he returned to the streets and violently assaulted another woman in Coney Island this past Sunday.”
“Let’s do everything we can to keep our City safe!” Chell declared.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D) has also previously called for the city’s sanctuary status to be amended.
During a Tuesday press conference, Adams addressed the ignored detainer request against Davon-Bonilla.
“Laws do not allow us to coordinate with ICE — that’s the law,” Adams stated. “I’m not happy about that.”
“I think he’s the poster child of what’s wrong with not doing that coordination,” he added. “It’s clear that he does not deserve to be in our city.”
