[KARAH RUCKER]
MANHATTAN’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS BEING CRITICIZED BY FELLOW STATE DEMOCRATS OVER MIGRANTS RELEASED WITHOUT BAIL AFTER ATTACKING POLICE.
AND A PROGRAM IN THE CITY THAT GIVES MIGRANT FAMILIES ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH TO BUY FOOD AND GROCERIES IS ALSO RECEIVING NATIONAL ATTENTION.
IT WAS THIS ATTACK ON NEW YORK POLICE OFFICERS THAT LANDED SEVEN MIGRANTS IN JAIL.
TEMPORARILY.
THEY WERE ALL CHARGED.
THEN SIX RELEASED ON ZERO BAIL.
THAT DECISION BY MANHATTAN’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY ALVIN BRAGG –
HAS BEEN CRITICIZED BY NEW YORK’S GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL.
AND NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES.
[GOV. KATHY HOCHUL | D-NY]
“All I can say is that under the laws of New York, the bail laws I was instrumental in changing that allows judges more discretion, certainly an assault on a police officer is bail eligible.”
“All I know is that an assault on a police officer means you should be sitting in jail.”
[LETITIA JAMES | NYS ATTORNEY GENERAL]
“Bail should’ve been set, it was a serious felony. Why it was not set? I do not know.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
WHEN THE MIGRANTS WERE RELEASED FROM CUSTODY –
THEY FLIPPED OFF CAMERA CREWS AS THEY WALKED FREE.
THEY’RE ORDERED TO BE BACK IN COURT FEBRUARY 20.
BUT POLICE SOURCES TOLD CBS FOUR OF THE SIX MIGRANTS HAVE ALREADY CAUGHT A BUS OUT OF THE CITY.
HEADED TO CALIFORNIA.
BUT THE DA STANDS BY HIS DECISION AS HIS OFFICE CONTINUES TO INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT.
[ALVIN BRAGG | MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY]
“There’s no evidence in this case….we are investigating allegations of it.
“This is the beginning of the process…and we will hold those accountable who did these heinous acts.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
MEANWHILE –
NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS IS DEFENDING THE DECISION TO GIVE DEBIT CARDS WITH A ONE THOUSAND DOLLAR MONTHLY LIMIT TO SOME MIGRANTS IN THE CITY.
{ERIC ADAMS}
“I know that the first brush you look at it and your like wait your giving people cards? But once you dig into the numbers you’ll see its a small policy shift in a pilot project with 500 people, if this is successful, we’ll expand it even more.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
THE CITY LOSES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FOOD PREPARED FOR MIGRANTS THAT GOES TO WASTE.
THIS PROGRAM IS SAID TO SAVE THE CITY $7 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR BY CUTTING DOWN ON FOOD WASTE.
AND MIGRANTS HAVE TO SIGN A PAPER SAYING THE DEBIT CARDS WILL ONLY BE SPENT ON FOOD, GROCERIES, AND BABY SUPPLIES.
MORE THAN 173,000 MIGRANTS HAVE MOVED TO THE CITY SINCE SPRING OF 2022.
THE COST FOR THE CITY TO CONTINUE TO HOTHROUGH 2025.