New York City's District Attorney Alvin Bragg is facing a backlash from the public and the police union after he released four illegal immigrants who were charged with assaulting two NYPD officers without bail.
The incident occurred on January 31, 2024, when the officers responded to a report of a robbery at a bodega in Harlem. The suspects, who were later identified as undocumented immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico, resisted arrest and attacked the officers with bottles, knives, and a metal pipe. One officer suffered a broken nose and a concussion, while the other sustained cuts and bruises.
Bragg, who took office in January 2024, has been criticized for his lenient policies on crime and immigration. He has vowed to reduce incarceration and end cooperation with federal immigration authorities. He has also announced that he will not prosecute many low-level offenses, such as fare evasion, trespassing, prostitution, and drug possession. Bragg defended his decision to release the four suspects, saying that he was following the state's bail reform law, which limits the use of cash bail for most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies. He also said that he was waiting for more evidence from the police before pursuing the case.
However, many have condemned Bragg's actions as a betrayal of the law and the public safety. The president of the New York City Police Benevolent Association, Patrick Lynch, slammed Bragg for putting the interests of criminals above those of the victims and the officers. "Why aren't they in jail right now? They brutally attacked a NYC police officer and lieutenant. Our criminal justice system is upside down! It fails every day." Lynch said in a statement. He also called for Bragg to resign or be removed from office.
Bragg's decision also sparked outrage on social media, where many users expressed their support for the NYPD and their anger at the DA. Graham Allen, a conservative commentator and host of the show X, said on Twitter: "Democrat DA Alvin Bragg could care less about the NYPD officers who were assaulted. He has made New York a more dangerous place to live and should RESIGN immediately."
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, also tweeted: "Broke the law entering illegally. Broke the law assaulting an officer. Released without bail by pro-criminal Alvin Bragg who has no regard for the law. Won't be deported because Biden and Mayorkas ignore the law. Your taxes will pay his expenses. This is the Left's America."
Many other users echoed similar sentiments, using hashtags such as #BackTheBlue, #StandWithNYPD, and #ImpeachBragg.
