Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul could not name a single high-profile heinous crime committed by illegal immigrants in her state on Thursday when pressed by Republican New York Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Stefanik asked the governor during a House Oversight Committee hearing on sanctuary states to identify specific suspects who committed crimes in her state, including 21-year-old Sakir Akkan, who raped a 15-year-old girl in Albany. Hochul then could not identify Sebastian Zapeta, the suspect accused of burning a woman alive on a New York City subway in January.
“These are high-profile cases, New Yorkers know about them and you don’t? Let’s talk about Sebastian Zapeta Khalil. Do you know who that is?” Stefanik said, which Hochul denied knowing the answer to. “Well this is an illegal migrant in New York because of your sanctuary state policies. Do you know what crime he committed?”
When Hochul said she could not recall who Zapeta was, Stefanik said, “I bet you’re gonna be familiar when I remind you. He found a sleeping woman on the subway, lit her on fire and burned her alive. This is in Kathy Hochul’s New York. And as I’m sure you are aware, and I’ll remind you, that [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] issued an order to detain this violent criminal, but that was reject by New York officials due to sanctuary state laws.”
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Zapeta, a Guatemalan national, was previously deported from the U.S. and had been living in the country unlawfully when he fatally burned 57-year-old Debrina Kawam. Authorities charged him with multiple counts of murder and arson in connection to the incident.
In a separate case, Raymond Rojas Basilio, who entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico, was arrested in New York City on Dec. 18, 2024, for allegedly raping a victim less than 11 years of age, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In Nassau County, authorities arrested 26-year-old Wilson Castillo Diaz for the rape of a 5-year-old girl on Oct. 16, 2024.
“You’re not advocating for these victims. This is a 5-year-old who was raped on Long Island in Nassau County,” Stefanik told Hochul. “You are not advocating on behalf of these victims, you are shielding illegals. Even in your opening statement, you prioritize putting illegals first. Rapes of young girls, beatings of [New York Police Department] cops by illegals who are here under Kathy Hochul’s failed policies. Burning New Yorkers alive. This is Kathy Hochul’s New York.”
“That is not true,” Hochul repeatedly said. “These are horrific crimes and they’re heartbreaking.”
Stefanik argued that Hochul’s continuation of an executive order making New York a sanctuary state, which was signed into law by former Democrat New York Gov. Chris Cuomo, is to blame for these horrific crimes. The New York governor accused Stefanik of making false statements about her policies and claimed her state cooperates with ICE.
Border czar Tom Homan, who oversees ICE’s operations, has repeatedly criticized Hochul’s policies as it relates to illegal immigration and crime. He said during a Fox News appearance in December 2024 that ICE had its “hands tied” in sanctuary jurisdictions which made it almost impossible for them to arrest and detain illegal immigrant criminals.
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