Overview
- Gothamist reported that in multiple 2025 incidents federal immigration officers entered private areas of New York City shelters without judicial warrants, including two cases where staff allowed access and two where agents bypassed staff.
- DSS-DHS said the events occurred during a temporary change in operational guidance earlier this year, noted a systemwide sanctuary-law training in February, and reported no similar incidents since reverting to long-standing rules.
- City Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala called for more rigorous and frequent training so shelter workers can handle encounters with federal agents confidently and lawfully.
- Shelter provider Win and the New York Immigration Coalition condemned the reported actions as violations of sanctuary protections that undermine public trust, and Gothamist said one immigrant was taken into custody during a visit.
- An agency insider described armed agents demanding information and searching a shelter logbook without permission, while a DSS-DHS source said a City Hall directive about entry when workers felt threatened created confusion; DHS and ICE did not comment.