NYC manhunt begins after police release Guinean man accused of attacking officer

A manhunt is underway in New York City for Alpha Bah, a Guinean national who was released by police on October 7 despite federal requests to hold him. Bah faces charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest after an incident involving a police officer. The Department of Homeland Security says the NYPD did not notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement before letting him go.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin called the release a failure of sanctuary policies. He said the city let a criminal back onto the streets after arresting him. According to DHS, ICE lodged a detainer with Queens Central Booking on October 7, 2026, asking federal officials to detain Bah. The NYPD released him without honoring that request.

This is the second time ICE has tried to hold Bah. In June 2026, he was charged with intent to obtain transportation without paying. ICE placed a detainer at Manhattan Central Booking, but the NYPD released him again. DHS notes that Bah entered the United States illegally in November 2023. He lived in Arizona before being arrested by Border Patrol. He was also arrested in January 2025 for criminal trespassing but was released before ICE could act under previous policies.

Mullin criticized the current leadership in New York. In a statement, he urged Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani to stop supporting policies that limit cooperation with federal agents. He described the policies as allowing violent non-citizens to remain at large. DHS said it is calling on all pro-sanctuary politicians to reconsider their stances.

Governor Hochul signed legislation in May 2026 that blocks New York state and local law enforcement from entering into official agreements with ICE. This law restricts how state agencies can share information with federal immigration officials. Mayor Mamdani has supported similar measures in the city. He signed an executive order that reaffirms New York City as a sanctuary for all residents.

The mayor's order restricts federal immigration enforcement on city property. It also limits access to data on immigrants without legal status. City agencies must now undergo audits to ensure they comply with these rules. DHS responded to these policies by stating that partnerships with local law enforcement are key to removing criminal aliens from communities. The department noted that seven of the ten safest cities in the U.S. cooperate with ICE.

Neither the governor's office nor the mayor's office immediately replied to requests for comment regarding Bah's release. The search for Bah continues as federal and local authorities work to locate him.