First posted on Instagram
Federal authorities launched a manhunt for Alpha Bah, an illegal immigrant from Guinea who was at large after New York City released him despite two requests from federal immigration officials to hold him in custody, the Department of Homeland Security said. He was captured two days later — see the October 30 update at the end of this article.
Bah was arrested on charges including aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and intent to obtain transportation without paying, according to Fox News Digital, which first reported the case on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer request with Queens Central Booking on October 7, 2026, but the New York City Police Department ignored the detainer and released Bah without notifying ICE, the report said.
It was the second time federal officials had asked New York City to hold Bah. He had previously been charged with intent to obtain transportation without paying in June 2026, and ICE lodged a detainer with Manhattan Central Booking, but the NYPD also released him following that arrest, Fox News Digital reported.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin blamed the city's sanctuary policies for Bah's release. "This is the vision of sanctuary politicians in a nutshell: the open-border policies of the Biden Administration let this criminal into our country, and then sanctuary politicians in New York released him after arresting him without notifying ICE," Mullin told Fox News Digital.
"This illegal alien from Guinea was arrested for assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon. Despite these violent charges, New York City sanctuary politicians refused to honor ICE's detainer and RELEASED him back onto the streets, and he remains at large," Mullin said in a statement. He called on Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani to "knock it off with these evil sanctuary policies before another American gets hurt, or worse."
According to DHS, Bah entered the United States illegally in November 2023, resided in Arizona, and was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol. He was also arrested in January 2025 for criminal trespassing, but was released before ICE was able to request a detainer on him under Biden-era policies, DHS said.
Fox News Digital reported that the offices of both Hochul and Mamdani did not immediately reply to its request for comment. Hochul signed legislation in May that blocks New York law enforcement agencies from entering into agreements with ICE, and Mamdani has signed an executive order reaffirming the city's commitment to being a sanctuary for all New Yorkers, according to the report.
Bah is accused, not convicted, of the charges against him. He was at large until his capture on October 30, 2026 (see update below). DHS's wanted poster had described him as a "criminal illegal alien from Guinea" who remained at large after aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.
— Update: Friday, October 30, 2026 —
The manhunt is over. ICE officers arrested Bah at about 3:25 p.m. on Friday, October 30, outside a temporary residence in New York City, after surveillance by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officers. The arrest was without incident, and Bah was taken to 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan for processing. Fox News Digital first reported the capture, and ICE confirmed it the same evening on X: "Sanctuary NYC released Bah TWICE despite ICE detainers, but ERO officers tracked him down... and arrested him without incident." Bah is now in ICE custody and faces removal proceedings; the October 7 assault charges remain allegations, not convictions.