The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on April 16 that the New York City Department of Corrections refused to honor an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest detainer for Roman Ceron Amatitla, a Mexican national charged with murder and arson in connection with a deadly fire in Queens.
The department said the refusal was due to sanctuary policies, which prevent local authorities from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement requests. The case has drawn attention because it involves serious charges stemming from a fire that killed four people, including a three-year-old girl, and injured several others.
The Department of Homeland Security detailed in its April 16, 2026 news release that Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer request with the New York City Department of Corrections after local authorities charged Amatitla. The release explained that the city department said it would not cooperate due to sanctuary policies and planned to release the individual back into the community without notifying federal authorities. The announcement referenced the specific case involving charges of murder and arson stemming from an incident in a Flushing building where the suspect allegedly started a fire and remained in the area as the structure burned, according to DHS.
According to the Queens County District Attorney, Roman Ceron Amatitla faced eight counts of murder in the second degree along with arson in the first degree and related charges for the incident at 132-05 Avery Avenue in Flushing. The suspect allegedly entered the building multiple times, purchased matches, lit garbage on fire near a stairwell, and watched as smoke and flames filled the three-story structure. The fire resulted in the deaths of four occupants including a three-year-old girl from smoke inhalation and a 64-year-old man who leaped from a window, plus injuries to seven others including two FDNY members who suffered smoke inhalation and burns when a staircase collapsed during rescue efforts according to Queens County District Attorney.
A Center for Immigration Studies analysis of ICE records showed that sanctuary jurisdictions declined more than 25,000 detainers between October 2022 and February 2025 with over half the refusals occurring in California facilities. The data indicated that thousands of criminal aliens with convictions or charges for serious offenses including homicide and assault were released back into communities when local authorities chose not to honor federal requests. The pattern extended to other states where non-cooperation allowed individuals with records involving violence or weapons offenses to avoid transfer to ICE custody for removal proceedings according to Center for Immigration Studies.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security serves as the federal agency responsible for protecting the nation through immigration enforcement and border security. Its component agency U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement carries out interior enforcement operations including the issuance of detainers to local jurisdictions holding criminal illegal aliens. The department coordinates with state and local partners to prioritize public safety by removing individuals convicted of or charged with serious crimes from American communities according to DHS.
