The Department of Homeland Security has publicly pressured New York sanctuary officials to detain Aureliano Antonio Melendez Reyes, a man charged with rape, sexual abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child in Huntington. ICE lodged a detainer on June 18, 2026, requesting New York authorities not release Reyes but instead surrender him to federal custody.

DHS identifies Reyes as a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador who entered the country illegally and was ordered removed by a Justice Department immigration judge on July 10, 1998—a legal order predating the alleged assault. According to DHS, Reyes is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl while she walked home on June 6, 2026, as reported in Suffolk County court documents.

The agency emphasized that New York’s refusal to honor ICE detainers has led to the release of 6,947 criminal illegal aliens since January 20, 2025, with those individuals tied to documented crimes including 29 homicides, 2,509 assaults, 199 burglaries, and numerous sexual-predatory offenses. As of December 1, 2025, DHS states that 7,113 aliens in New York jurisdiction have active detainers requiring federal custody.

Reyes was indicted on June 16, 2026, by Suffolk County prosecutors and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the most severe charge. His current legal status remains contested under sanctuary policies, which DHS argues have allowed individuals like Reyes—who legally should have been removed decades ago—to remain unaccounted for.

The agency framed its request as a direct challenge to New York officials’ discretion over federal detainers, noting that honoring ICE’s demand would ensure Reyes is no longer at large despite his expired removal order. Officials holding Reyes are now under pressure to act before further legal complications arise. The girl who was walking home on June 6 did not have a voice in this decision, and the least officials can do is pick up the phone.