Judge orders NYC to give ICE data on some Bronx shelter residents

What happened

U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan ruled on 11/06/2026 that New York City must comply with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) subpoena. The city must turn over the names and birth dates of certain residents of a city-run migrant shelter in the Bronx. ICE says it needs the information for an investigation into residents who may be subject to deportation. amNY reported the ruling on 11/10/2026. Gothamist and the Daily News reported it on 11/07/2026.

Gothamist reports the order covers certain male residents of a shelter on Bruckner Boulevard in the South Bronx. The shelter is a converted warehouse that sleeps more than 2,000 people and is the city's last emergency migrant housing facility. ICE first asked for the names of all residents. Under the ruling, a special master will limit the list to residents with "serious criminal histories." The Daily News says ICE narrowed its request and agreed to the special master. Gothamist says the city must also provide any additional records that would help ICE identify the people.

The city fought the subpoena. It called an earlier request "an improper fishing expedition lacking any legitimate investigative purpose." It argued the request was more political than investigatory and aimed to undermine the city's sanctuary laws. In a 12-page decision, Kaplan wrote that the city "has not shown that producing this list would be unduly burdensome." He also wrote that nothing in the record suggests ICE wants the names for any reason other than enforcing immigration laws.

The judge gave the city two weeks. amNY describes this as two weeks to comply. The Daily News says it is two weeks to devise a plan for handing over the names. The mayor's office did not respond to requests for comment. The New York Immigration Coalition is urging the city to appeal.