ICE Accessed New York Shelters Without a Judicial Warrant, According to Report

• ICE enters New York shelters
• Without a judicial warrant
• Sanctuary law violations

According to the EFE news agency, an incident report revealed that ICE agents entered New York City municipal shelters on several occasions without presenting a valid judicial warrant.

The incidents occurred between January and May of this year and were documented in internal reports cited by the newspaper Gothamist.

The unauthorized access raised alarm among immigrant advocacy organizations, as these spaces are intended to provide shelter and basic services.

The situation raises questions about compliance with municipal protocols and respect for laws designed to protect the migrant population.

ICE enters shelters in New York without warrant

Report reveals that ICE entered New York shelters without a judicial warrant https://t.co/LNVSbo8S6w

— Proceso Digital (@ProcesoDigital) December 15, 2025

According to the report, on at least five occasions immigration agents entered shelters without legal authorization from a judge.

In two of those cases, staff allowed ICE access to private areas of municipal shelters.

In a third incident, employees shared information about a former resident without verifying the existence of a judicial warrant.

These actions directly violate the sanctuary law, which limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Internal failures and sanctuary law

New York’s sanctuary law prohibits municipal employees from allowing ICE access to private areas without a judicial warrant.

Only specific exceptions are allowed, such as extraordinary circumstances or the presentation of a warrant signed by a judge.

The report also notes that on two occasions agents bypassed reception staff and accessed restricted areas.

These failures reflect weaknesses in internal controls and inconsistent enforcement of existing regulations.

Political reactions

One of the most serious incidents occurred on February 20, when seven armed agents arrested a Venezuelan migrant inside a New York shelter.

According to the incident report, the agents were wearing camouflage clothing, bulletproof vests, and face coverings.

Murad Awawdeh, director of the New York Immigration Coalition, condemned the actions and warned about their impact on public trust.

Awawdeh called for the approval of new legislation and urged the next municipal administration to strictly enforce sanctuary laws, amid growing concern over ICE entering shelters in New York without warrant.