Three of New York’s top elected officials appeared surprised Thursday when pressed about a House Judiciary Committee report alleging local prosecutors intentionally downgraded charges against noncitizens to protect them from deportation.

During a Manhattan press conference, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez faced questions regarding claims that city prosecutors altered or reduced charges to help noncitizens avoid convictions that would trigger removal.

"Did any of you order prosecutors to downgrade gun charges to keep illegal immigrants in the U. S., per the Judiciary Committee report?" a reporter asked.

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Katz threw her hands up and shrugged in response, the New York Post reported.

"Our answer couldn’t help it," Katz said, before a speaker redirected the room, asking for "any other on-topic questions" and moving the news conference along.

"We charge any defendant with an illegal firearm with the highest possible charge under the law," a spokesperson for Katz's office told Fox News Digital. 

The news conference exchange followed the release of a 22-page congressional report detailing widespread practices across New York City prosecutors' offices.

According to the document, Katz's office employs an "Immigration Specialist" to help negotiate "immigration-safe" plea deals and reduce past convictions.

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The report also cited a 2022 memorandum from Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg allegedly instructing prosecutors to seek dispositions that avoid deportation consequences for all misdemeanors and non-carceral felonies.

In addition, the report states that the office of Bronx DA Darcel Clark trains prosecutors in "Immigration-Conscious Plea Bargaining." That includes offering non-deportable offenses, avoiding aggravated felony charges and using hypothetical or "legally impossible" charges, such as "attempted reckless assault," which lack legal intent requirements.

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Prosecutors were also allegedly instructed to omit critical details from official conviction records, such as gun involvement, domestic relationships or the age of minor victims, to prevent federal immigration authorities from using them as grounds for removal.

After the news conference, a spokesperson for Katz reached out to the Post to deny that leniency is ever shown in weapons cases.

"We charge any defendant with an illegal firearm with the highest possible charge under the law," the spokesperson said.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the other four New York city district attorneys' offices for comment.

Anti-gun and anti-ICE radicals are breaking laws and quite literally leaving their mark on New York City.

A group of anti-ICE menaces blocked entrances to New York City's Brooklyn Bridge on Wednesday, causing bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Meanwhile, one man is facing charges for allegedly spray-painting over victims' names at the 9/11 memorial.

Both events happened this week in the Big Apple while city leaders have remained quiet on both issues.

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Brooklyn Bridge anti-ICE blockade

The anti-ICE crowd's demonstration was met with frustrated drivers – many of them commuting to work – who were stuck in the gridlock; drivers were seen on video pleading with agitators to gain access to the bridge.

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One driver was heard saying, "I just want to get to work!"

The radicals were heard on megaphone shouting "NYPD, K-K-K, I-C-E, THEY'RE ALL THE SAME!"

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One person shouted "Free Oscar Bergal!" in response to a recent ICE arrest of the illegal Dominican national that resulted in a shooting in Marble Hill, Manhattan, earlier this month.

Police eventually arrived to arrest and remove the people disrupting traffic.

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The bridge caused delays for about an hour when the group showed up at 12:30 in the afternoon, and were eventually arrested and removed by 1:30, according to ABC7.

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The NYPD confirmed to Fox News Digital that 14 people were arrested and there were no reported injuries.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the mayor's office for comment.

9/11 Memorial vandalism

Port Authority Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that Johnathan Tijerina, 31, was arrested after he allegedly vandalized the 9/11 Memorial earlier this week.

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On Monday, a message reading "just stop killing kids" was sprayed across several engraved names on the memorial.

WWII MEMORIAL VANDALISM SUSPECT IN CUSTODY, CHARGED WITH TWO FELONIES, PIRRO SAYS

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The suspect was seen in his own self-recorded video spray painting the memorial; his organization "Just Stop Killing Kids" shared the video.

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In another post the organization wrote:

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"On October 26, 2026, Jon Tijerina was arrested for spraying red paint on Freedom Tower in NYC. He is demanding that Trump and Mamdani enforce common-sense, highly popular demands with respect to guns such as Universal Background Checks and a National Gun Registry."

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A spokesperson for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum told Fox News Digital that security personnel and law enforcement responded quickly and restored the affected area.

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"The 9/11 Memorial is a sacred place of reflection at the heart of a rebuilt World Trade Center that honors the 2,983 victims killed in the September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 terrorist attacks," the spokesperson said in a statement. "This brief incident was swiftly addressed by security staff and law enforcement, and the impacted area was immediately restored to its commemorative state."