U.S. Attorney Survives Knife Attack by Undocumented Migrant, Criticizes Sanctuary Policies
A top federal attorney in New York is speaking out against the state’s sanctuary city policies after allegedly being attacked by a knife-wielding undocumented migrant. The incident has sparked a heated debate over immigration enforcement and state autonomy.
John Sarcone III, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, described the attack as a direct result of the sanctuary policies he believes are failing to protect communities. The incident occurred on the streets of Albany, where Sarcone was en route to the State Capitol building. According to Sarcone, he sensed danger as the suspect approached him, prompting him to run into a nearby hotel and seek help from the local sheriff.
“I could have easily just kept walking,” Sarcone told “Fox & Friends” Friday. “But I sensed that there was danger here.”
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According to Sarcone, the man began shouting in a language he didn’t understand. “I didn’t acknowledge him. I kept looking straight ahead. Then out of the corner of my eye, he starts coming towards me,” he describes. The man allegedly pulled out a knife and began “charging” at the attorney, who ran into the lobby of a nearby hotel and called the sheriff of Albany County.
“I knew that if he got away, he was going to kill somebody,” Sarcone said. He went back outside to try and keep the suspect nearby. “I went to the sidewalk to try to keep him in the area and I yelled out. And he turned around. He yelled back. And then he came back at me,” Sarcone said. The man reportedly then made a threatening gesture by drawing a knife across his own neck. Sarcone said he took that as a sign the suspect meant to kill him, “He’s [going to] slit my throat.”
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The suspect has been identified as 40-year-old Saul Morales-Garcia, a migrant from El Salvador who entered the United States unlawfully in 2021. He was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder, felony weapons possession and menacing.
Sarcone claims the attack was the direct cause of sanctuary city policies and an influx of undocumented migrants. He said he shared that view directly with Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul when she contacted him after the attack. “She was very sympathetic and concerned. And I said to her, I said, ‘Look, the sanctuary cities aren’t working.’“, Sarcone said.
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Earlier this month, the Department of Justice launched a lawsuit against New York over similar issues, claiming an act by the state shields criminal aliens from being lawfully detained. The Protect Our Courts Act, passed by New York’s legislature in 2020, prohibits federal immigration agents from making civil arrests in or around state courthouses. The lawsuit is part of a broader legal battle over state and federal jurisdiction in immigration enforcement.
The incident has also reignited debates within New York about the effectiveness of sanctuary policies and their impact on public safety. Critics argue that these policies deter federal enforcement and allow criminal aliens to remain in the state without being properly detained. Meanwhile, supporters of sanctuary policies claim that they protect immigrants from discrimination and ensure that law enforcement focuses on serious crimes rather than immigration violations.
The legal battle between New York and the federal government over sanctuary policies has been ongoing, with several lawsuits filed in recent months. The recent case involving Sarcone is just the latest example of how these policies are being scrutinized and challenged, particularly in light of the increased number of undocumented migrants entering the United States.
As the legal and political battles continue, the incident involving Sarcone serves as a stark reminder of the tensions that can arise from the intersection of immigration policy and public safety. The outcome of these cases could have significant implications for the future of immigration enforcement, not only in New York but also across the nation.