Roman Amatitla, 38, of Maspeth, is charged with eight counts of second-degree murder and first-degree arson after lighting a three-story Flushing building on fire March 16, which he selected at random.
As smoke engulfed the street, Katz said he stayed in the immediate area to watch people burn and jump from the windows while sipping his beer, in what she described as an “act of mass murder.”
On Tuesday, US Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) requested the New York City Department of Corrections (NYCDOC) not release Amatitla from jail
However, because of New York’s sanctuary policies, the NYCDOC told ICE that it will refuse to cooperate.
“This monster set fire to a building and watched as innocent people, including a three-year-old, burned to death. New York City sanctuary politicians REFUSE to cooperate with ICE and are choosing to RELEASE this MURDERER onto New York streets,” DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital.
“New York’s sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety,” she continued
“Releasing this monster from jail is insanity and will allow him to commit more crimes and create more innocent victims. We are calling on Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani to not release this public safety threat.”
DHS claims New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s executive order shields criminal illegal immigrants and “allows them to reoffend and create more innocent victims.”