ICE Seeks Custody of Two Dominican Men Accused of Stabbing NYPD Detective

The case of two Dominican men accused of stabbing an NYPD detective in the Bronx has become both a criminal proceeding and a source of renewed tension between New York City and the federal government. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued immigration detainers for the two men accused of stabbing an off-duty New York City Police Department (NYPD) detective, while members of the Dominican community have expressed growing fears about deportations to countries with which migrants have no ties. Neither suspect has been convicted.

• Sneider Mejía and D’Angelo Caraballo face attempted murder and robbery charges. Both pleaded not guilty and remain in custody without bail.
• ICE is requesting their transfer to federal immigration custody upon release from local detention or after the completion of their criminal proceedings.
• According to El Jaya, Dominicans in Upper Manhattan fear the suspects could be deported to a third country in Africa.

Why it matters: The case reignites debate over New York City’s sanctuary laws, which restrict cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE under certain circumstances. It also draws attention to deportations to third countries, a practice raising concerns among many Latin American families in the United States.

What Happened in the Bronx

According to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, on Friday, October 2, 2026, at approximately 1:43 p.m., Detective José Mercedes was unloading items from his vehicle near East 208th Street and Rochambeau Avenue in the Norwood neighborhood. Mejía, 24, allegedly approached him with a knife in an attempt to steal two gold chains, while Caraballo, 25, allegedly grabbed them. Prosecutors said Mercedes resisted and identified himself as a police officer before the suspects allegedly stabbed him ten times in the neck, arms, and torso and fled on an electric bicycle with one of the chains. The detective underwent emergency surgery at Jacobi Hospital and survived. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), however, reported seven stab wounds, differing from the district attorney’s account.

The two suspects fled to Massachusetts. The U.S. Marshals Service reported that they were arrested in Lynn late Tuesday, October 6, with assistance from state police, while the district attorney’s office listed the arrest date as October 7. On Wednesday, October 14, both were formally charged with attempted murder, robbery, and related offenses. Judge Alvin Yearwood ordered them held without bail. They remain at Rikers Island and are scheduled to return to court on December 3, 2026. Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark stated: «This vicious attack on a dedicated member of our law enforcement community is unacceptable. Now, they will have to answer for their crimes.»

What ICE Says About the Two Dominican Men Accused of the Stabbing

In an October 20 statement, ICE’s New York office announced that it had issued immigration detainers for Dangelo Rafael Jean Caraballo and Sneider Mejía Bautista, both Dominican nationals who, according to the agency, lack lawful immigration status. ICE said U.S. Border Patrol agents detained Jean Caraballo near San Luis, Arizona, in February 2023 and released him with a notice to appear in immigration court. The agency also cited previous arrests in New York for reckless endangerment, fleeing police, reckless driving, possession of controlled substances, possession of a loaded firearm, and threatening someone with a weapon.

Regarding Mejía Bautista, ICE reported that Border Patrol agents detained him in the same area of Arizona in December 2022 before releasing him on parole. The agency also cited previous arrests involving possession of stolen property, burglary tools, grand larceny, and firearm possession. According to ICE, an immigration judge ordered his deportation to the Dominican Republic in absentia on May 8, 2025. The agency further stated that it had requested his detention following another arrest in October 2025, but New York City did not comply. «New York City’s refusal to honor ICE detainers and its repeated release of removable aliens has grave and unacceptable consequences, including for the very law enforcement officers sworn to protect this city,» ICE said.

Fear of Deportations to Third Countries

According to El Jaya, a Dominican newspaper, members of the Dominican community in Upper Manhattan fear that the two men could be deported to a third country in Africa, such as Congo, Uganda, Sudan, Ghana, or Rwanda, if transferred to ICE custody, despite having no previous ties to those countries. The newspaper reported that the United States deported more than 536 people to African countries between January 20, 2025, and August 2026.

Michael Garcia Bochenek, interim U.S. director at Human Rights Watch, told El Jaya: «Deporting people to countries where they have never set foot is part of a U.S. policy to cause suffering and deter migration.» According to the same newspaper, DHS defends third-country deportations as a means of enforcing removal orders and reducing overcrowding in immigration detention facilities.

What’s Next for the Suspects?

The criminal case in the Bronx will proceed, with the next court hearing scheduled for December 3, 2026. ICE’s immigration detainers request that the two men be transferred to federal immigration custody upon their release from local detention or after their criminal proceedings conclude. Until then, the presumption of innocence remains in effect: the charges are allegations brought by prosecutors, and both defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Sources: Bronx District Attorney’s Office (statement 89-2026); ICE, statement of October 20; U.S. Marshals Service; El Jaya; Diario Libre. Data consulted on October 27, 2026.