Governor Hochul Signs Budget That Makes New York More Affordable, Keeps New Yorkers Safe and Expands Opportunity for All

Putting New York on Path to Statewide Universal Childcare

$1 Billion in One-Time Energy Rebate Checks

Puts Ratepayers First in Push To Reduce Utility Costs

Protecting New Yorkers From ICE Overreach

Making More Than $900 Million Record Investment in Public Safety Funding To Continue Driving Down Crime and Keeping New Yorkers Safe

Advances First-in-the-Nation Legislation To Ban Illegal, Homegrown 3D-Printed Ghost Guns and DIY Machine Guns

Measures To Reduce Insurance Rates for Drivers

Offsets Rising Costs for Farmers Due to Federal Tariffs

No Tax on Tips for Hardworking New Yorkers

Improving Transparency in the Residential Property Insurance Market

Governor Kathy Hochul today signed her FY 2027 Budget making New York more affordable, keeping New Yorkers safe and expanding opportunity for all. The Governor delivered sweeping measures to lower costs including putting New York on a path to universal childcare, reducing utility costs and delivering energy rebate checks, and bringing auto insurance rates down for drivers. She also implemented a surcharge on luxury New York City second homes, generating much needed revenue for the City without impacting everyday New Yorkers. Additionally, the Governor continues to build on her unprecedented investments in public safety with more than $900 million in funding, measures to crack down on illegal 3D printed guns, and a nation leading package of immigration protections that keep New Yorkers safe.

"Every proposal included in this Budget was a fight for New Yorkers and their future. Working with my partners in the Legislature, we delivered an ambitious agenda that will lower costs for hardworking families, keep New Yorkers safe and create opportunity for all," Governor Hochul said. "While Washington continues to make life more difficult for New Yorkers, I’m doing everything in my power to make real, tangible progress on the issues New Yorkers are facing and I will always fight for the people who call this great state home."

 

Delivering Universal Childcare

Governor Hochul is putting New York State on a pathway toward universal childcare, beginning with committing to investments that will support the delivery of affordable childcare to up to nearly 100,000 additional children.

The Governor's landmark investment will increase funding by $1.7 billion bringing the total FY27 investment to $4.5 billion for childcare and prekindergarten services statewide.

These investments will:

• Make Pre-K truly universal statewide by making funding available to provide high-quality pre-k seats for all four-year-olds in the State by the start of the 2028-29 school year.
• Partner with New York City to launch the Mayor’s signature 2-Care program and finally realize the promise of universal 3K access in New York City.
• Support counties in building out New York’s First 3 Program providing high-quality affordable childcare to families across the state regardless of income.
• Expand childcare subsidies to tens of thousands of additional families.
• Support the workforce through early childhood educator preparation.
• Launch an Office of Childcare and Early Education to steer the implementation of high-quality, universal childcare for New York families and will work to enhance awareness of the Child Tax Credit to ensure as many New Yorkers as possible benefit from the Governor’s historic expansion of the program that increased the credit from $330 per child to $1,000 annually for children under four.

Tackling Utility Costs

New Yorkers deserve reliable energy at a price they can afford, which is why Governor Hochul is proposing a sweeping set of reforms to modernize the Public Service Law, demanding strict fiscal discipline from utilities and empowering the State to fight more effectively for lower bills.

In her FY27 Budget, the Governor is putting ratepayers first by:

• Issuing one-time $1 billion Protecting Our Wallets Energy Rebate (POWER) checks to help provide needed relief. The POWER program will provide $200 to joint filers with incomes under $150,000 and $150 to joint filers with incomes between $150,000 and $300,000. Tying executive pay directly to customer affordability,
• Requiring utilities to present a budget constrained option when requesting a rate increase to ensure efficiency and affordability are prioritized,
• Ensuring customers do not foot the bill for hidden costs like lobbying, political contributions and unnecessary executive travel.
• Allowing for the installation of an “Affordability Monitor” within any utility company when the average residential bills creep too high.
• Modernizing the way utility rate cases are reviewed to help keep prices manageable.
• Incentivizing the use of smart thermostats to help reduce energy usage and lower bills.
• Establishing the RATES commission, bringing together consumer advocates and energy experts to investigate the root causes of surging utility bills, evaluate utility profits, review energy market designs and recommend actionable, transparent reforms.

Pied-à-Terre Tax on Luxury Second Homes in New York City

Governor Hochul’s Budget includes a pied-à-terre tax, a surcharge that will apply to high-value – $5 million or more – second homes within New York City. The tax ensures that those who own luxury properties as their second homes are still fairly contributing towards the funding of essential services like policing or parks that make New York City a global destination.

Given the complexity of New York City’s property tax system, the pied-à-terre surcharge makes accommodations in the short term transition phase for the ways in which different property types are currently valued in New York City, while ensuring the surcharge is applied fairly and immediately to luxury properties. The proposal is expected to generate at least $500 million a year in recurring revenue for New York City without impacting everyday New Yorkers.

Protecting New Yorkers From ICE Overreach

Governor Hochul has enacted a sweeping set of laws to protect New Yorkers against aggressive federal immigration enforcement as part of the FY27 Enacted Budget.

These new laws will expand protections by:

• Prohibiting state, local and federal officers from wearing face covering while interacting with the public.
• Prohibiting local governments, state and local police and state and local corrections from entering into 287(g) Agreements or similar agreements with the federal government that allow for state and local law enforcement personnel and facilities to be used for civil immigration enforcement purposes.
• Establishing a state law under which New Yorkers can bring a lawsuit against federal, state and local government officials for a violation of their constitutional rights.
• Prohibiting the use of state and local civilian agencies and public school resources, including employee time, for immigration enforcement activities.
• Prohibiting civilian state, local and school employees (including higher education and K-12) from permitting access to any non-public area of a state-owned or operated facility to immigration authorities without a judicial warrant, meaning any state or municipally owned, or operated facility including housing accommodations, parks, childcare facilities, preschools, hospitals, schools, dorms, healthcare facilities, community centers, libraries and shelters, cannot grant or facilitate access to any non-public areas of their facilities to immigration authorities without a warrant.
• Ensuring immigrant students can access education, codifying the right to a free public education regardless of immigration status.

Record Investments in Public Safety

Since taking office, Governor Hochul has invested more than $3 billion in public safety initiatives. The funding has provided record support for local and state law enforcement that has contributed to gun violence reaching record lows, reduced subway crime and combated pandemic-era surges in motor vehicle and retail thefts.

This Budget adds more than $900 million to those record investments and strengthens public safety by:

• Prioritizing New Yorkers’ safety throughout the transit system. The Governor secured an additional $77 million to support the deployment of NYPD officers across the subway system and $25 million for expanding the Subway Co-Response Outreach Teams initiative to respond more quickly to individuals in acute distress.
• Establishing a pilot program for New York City requiring the installation of Intelligent Speed Assistance devices in the vehicles of so-called “super speeders,” drivers with a documented pattern of flouting speeding laws and putting New Yorkers at risk.
• Advancing a comprehensive approach to both prohibit risky drone use and expand responsible use of drones as first responders by creating a crime for dangerous drone use and flying in and around restricted areas, and authorizing the use of detection and mitigation efforts by qualified law enforcement officers.
• Protecting safe access to worship — creating a new crime for knowingly and intentionally interfering with a person seeking to enter or exit a place of religious worship or acting in a way that makes a person within 50 feet of a place of worship fear for their safety.

Stopping Illegal Homegrown Guns

Governor Hochul has passed the strongest gun laws in the nation and made record investments in gun violence prevention, resulting in New York having the fewest shooting incidents statewide in 2025 in recorded history.

Governor Hochul’s FY27 Enacted Budget will:

• Require first-in-the-nation minimum safety standards for 3D printers sold in New York to be equipped with basic technology that prevents the unlicensed, illegal production of lethal firearms and firearm parts.
• Require the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services to lead a task force of experts to recommend regulations that will ensure New Yorkers are protected from these dangerous weapons. Following the implementation of the resulting regulations, state law will allow for recourse against any actor who sells a 3D printer in New York without equipping it with such technology.
• Criminalize the unlawful possession, sale, or distribution of blueprints that allow the printing of illegal guns and gun parts, and the manufacture of 3D-printed firearms.
• Prohibit gun manufacturers and firearms dealers from selling pistols that can be quickly and easily converted into machine guns using common tools.

Lowering Car Insurance Rates for New Yorkers

Fraud is a major driver of elevated auto insurance premiums. Increasingly sophisticated actors stage elaborate accidents, designed to allow for “jackpot” payouts from insurance companies or jury awards. These schemes imperil the safety of honest drivers, cause property damage, and increase rates for drivers across the state. Increasingly, scams go beyond just one bad actor at the wheel and are orchestrated by organized criminal rings.

The Governor’s plan will:

• Cap payouts for drivers engaging in criminal behavior at the time of the incident, including uninsured motorists, drunk drivers, and drivers in the act of committing a felony.
• Better define what actually constitutes a ‘serious injury’ so that damages for pain and suffering or emotional distress are reserved for those able to objectively demonstrate that they have suffered a serious injury.
• Ensure that if a driver is found to be mostly at fault for causing an accident, they cannot claim outsized payments for damages.
• Prevent insurance companies from exorbitantly raising rates by setting a legal threshold that prevents excess profits and returns savings to consumers.
• Create new regulatory safeguards to prevent insurance companies from raising rates without seeking express approval from the Department of Financial Services.
• Protect consumers by prohibiting insurance companies from setting rates based on extraneous, personal factors like homeownership status, occupation, education level or zip code.
• Enable prosecutors to seek criminal penalties against any individual responsible for organizing a staged accident, not just the particular individual behind the wheel.
• These measures come in addition to the Governor’s whole-of-government approach to combatting fraud by tasking DFS, DMV, DCJS and NYSP with a more proactive and coordinated approach to enforcement.
• The Governor’s plan also includes transparency for auto insurance policyholders by requiring insurers to notify policyholders about rate changes.

Protecting Vulnerable Renters and Homeowners

High prices and unscrupulous landlords are driving too many tenants out of their homes and making it harder for vulnerable homeowners to make ends meet. Governor Hochul has secured agreements to help address these issues in the FY27 Budget including:

• Protecting renters by clarifying anti-harassment laws.
• Enacting stiffer criminal penalties for landlords who engage in systemic harassment of rent-regulated tenants across multiple buildings or who are repeat serious offenders of existing anti-harassment laws.

To ensure that housing remains affordable for both seniors and New Yorkers with disabilities who are living in rent-regulated housing and Mitchell-Lama affordable housing, Governor Hochul’s final FY27 Budget:

• Increases income eligibility limits for New York’s Rent Freeze Program for both the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption and Disability Rent Increase Exemption from $50,000 to $75,000.
• Authorizes raising the eligibility for the Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption and Disabled Homeowner’s Exemption from $50,000 to $75,000.
• Adds notice requirements to make more elderly and disabled rent-regulated tenants aware of the SCRIE/DRIE rent freeze programs.

Consistent with current practice, New York City and other communities may opt into both the SCRIE/DRIE and SCHE/DHE programs.

Improving Transparency in the Residential Property Insurance Market

Homeowners and housing providers across the state are contending with escalating home insurance premiums and shrinking options for coverage, which threaten the affordability of New York’s single and multi-family homes. While single family home insurance rates in New York are on average lower than many other states — thanks to New York’s tightly regulated market — year over year increases in insurance rates still threaten to sap money from families’ pocketbooks and make multi-family housing less and less affordable for homeowners and renters. For years, New Yorkers have not been properly informed about the reasons for rising premiums. This year, the Governor’s reforms will increase transparency for consumers and give the Department of Financial Services (DFS) a better understanding of the multi-family market with new data from insurers.

Governor Hochul is tackling this problem head-on by:

• Requiring insurers to provide detailed information to DFS on how they price policies for multifamily residential buildings.
• Increasing transparency for home insurance as well as auto insurance by requiring insurers to notify policyholders about rate changes.

Protecting New York Farmers from the Disruption of Federal Tariffs

Agriculture is a cornerstone of New York’s economy, yet the federal government’s tariff policy has threatened the competitiveness of our farmers. Federal actions have driven up the cost of essential resources — like seeds, fertilizer, and necessary machinery — while creating market instability. Although the USDA recently announced a national assistance program, it is fundamentally flawed for New York since it leaves specialty crops and the dairy sector with no meaningful support.

To relieve farmers from the adverse impacts caused by federal tariffs, Governor Hochul will:

• Create the Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program, which will provide $30 million in direct payments to New York specialty crop growers, livestock producers, aquaculture, and dairy farmers.
• This initiative will quickly distribute much needed support to offset rising costs caused by tariffs.
• This program reinforces New York’s commitment to our agricultural community, while safeguarding local jobs and ensuring our farmers have the certainty needed to compete in a volatile global marketplace.

Helping New Yorkers Put Food on the Table

The recent shutdown of the federal government reminded the nation of how precarious our nutrition safety net is and how many New Yorkers contend with food insecurity. In response to the shutdown, Governor Hochul rushed an additional $65 million toward food assistance programs that delivered meals to tens of thousands of New Yorkers in their hour of need. To build on these actions and further reinforce our emergency food system:

• Governor Hochul is announcing a $51 million investment in the Department of Health (DOH)’s Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) program, which will help New York’s network of about 2,700 food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens reach more New Yorkers in need. An additional $15 million will strengthen and expand operations, allowing them to reach more people with healthier options.
• The Enacted Budget also includes $55 million for the Nourish New York Program, which reroutes surplus agricultural products to those who need them most through the state’s food banks.

Theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits is an epidemic across the United States, with hundreds of millions of dollars illegally stolen from families’ EBT cards nationwide using illegal “skimming” devices. Governor Hochul’s FY27 Budget will protect New Yorkers from this predatory behavior by:

• Upgrading New York’s EBT cards to secure chip-based technology that makes cards virtually impervious to skimming. While the federal administration tries to strip SNAP benefits from as many New Yorkers as possible and turns a blind eye to criminals taking food from vulnerable families, transitioning to chip-based EBT cards will help safeguard the SNAP dollars that New Yorkers depend on.

The Governor’s plan will also:

• Establish New York PLATES, a statewide competitive $10 million grant program for eligible food pantries that will fund capital projects, to increase the capacity of these critical organizations and enable food pantries to safely store, transport and distribute food to more families.
• Support localities in expanding free summer meal sites.

No Taxes on Tips for Hardworking New Yorkers

Tipped workers — New York’s bartenders, servers, and deliveristas — are the backbone of the state’s service economy. In jobs that demand long hours and daily dedication, every dollar is hard-won. Governor Hochul is committed to making sure tipped workers can hold on to more of what they earn. The Governor passed legislation that eliminates state income taxes on up to $25,000 of tipped income in tax year 2026, consistent with federal tax guidance.

Governor Hochul’s FY27 Budget builds on her efforts to put more money back in New Yorkers’ pockets. To date, her administration has:

• Cut middle-class taxes to their lowest rates in 70 years, ensuring families keep more of the paychecks they earn.
• Raised New York’s minimum wage and tied future increases to inflation so a day’s work covers a day’s needs.
• Implemented an historic expansion of New York’s Child Tax Credit, also known as the Empire State Child Credit, to provide families up to $1,000 per child under the age of four beginning in 2026, and up to $500 for school-aged children beginning in 2027, substantially increasing the previous maximum of $330.
• Made school meals free for every student, saving families $1,600 per child every year and making sure no child goes hungry at school.
• Sent Inflation Refund checks to 8.2 million New Yorkers — up to $200 for individuals and up to $400 for families.
• Increased the maximum weekly unemployment benefit by $300 a week so people can focus on finding work, not keeping the lights on.
• Established a nation-leading birth allowance — the New York State BABY Benefit (Birth Allowance for Beginning Year Benefit) — providing $1,800 to new parents receiving Public Assistance when they have a new baby.

STATE COMPTROLLER DiNAPOLI STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF FINAL STATE BUDGET

 

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli released the following statement on the passage of the final state budget:

"Families across New York are struggling to keep up with everyday costs. This budget helps ease some of that burden. It also makes important investments in healthcare, housing and education, and gives critical aid to New York City and upstate communities. The budget takes action to alleviate utility cost burdens and takes steps to reform the rate-setting process to elevate consumer affordability concerns. I was pleased to see new protections for our immigrants that will help inoculate our communities from some of the hurtful policies that continue to come from the Trump administration.

"We're evaluating the procurement changes that increased the thresholds for when contracts must come to us for review and when a contract must be competitively bid. Our office rigorously scrutinizes state procurements and agency spending to protect the taxpayers from waste, fraud and abuse. Limiting these abilities can hurt taxpayers. 

"This budget process went far past the April 1 deadline, and I’m concerned this is becoming the new norm. As spending increases, out-year budget gaps could put future priorities at risk.  

My office will review the final enacted budget and release an analysis in the coming weeks."

STATEMENT FROM JAMES WHELAN, PRESIDENT OF THE REAL ESTATE BOARD OF NEW YORK (REBNY)

 

RE: FY 2027 New York State Budget

“This year’s State budget contains several beneficial policy reforms. Changes to SEQRA, the extension of J-51, and updates to the Climate Act, are important steps toward boosting housing production, preserving existing housing stock, and addressing affordability.

“It is a different story on the economic and fiscal fronts.  The tax on second homes will dampen market activity, reduce property values, hurt new development, and weaken the City’s economy. It is a relief that State leaders rejected the numerous other tax increases that have been suggested during this process. 

“State spending increased nearly six percent this year, and now stands over $268 billion – with tougher fiscal decisions awaiting State leaders down the road.  New York cannot continue down its path of rising spending and higher taxes if it wants to remain an attractive place to live, work, invest, and build a business.”

Housing Lottery Launches for 2334-2336 Valentine Avenue in Fordham, The Bronx

 

The affordable housing lottery has launched for 2334-2336 Valentine Avenue in Fordham, The Bronx. Designed by Nikolai Katz Architect and developed by Mendy Tessler, the structure yields 17 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are seven units for residents at 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $81,086 to $146,560.

Amenities include an accessible entrance, pet-friendly policies, and a shared laundry room. Tenants are responsible for electricity including stove and heat.

2334-2336 Valentine Avenue in Fordham, The Bronx via NYC Housing Connect

At 130 percent of the AMI, there are three one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $2,173 for incomes ranging from $81,086 to $122,160, and four two-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $2,583 for incomes ranging from $98,195 to $146,560.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than June 5, 2026.

Mayor Mamdani Announces Commission on Government Efficiency to Make Government Work Better for New Yorkers

 

Commission will develop proposals to modernize City government, improve service delivery, and strengthen accountability to New Yorkers

 

Robust public process will culminate in proposals on the November ballot 

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today announced the appointment of the Commission on Government Efficiency, or COGE, a Charter Revision Commission tasked with making City government work better for New Yorkers.

Led by Chair Patrick Gaspard, COGE will examine how the New York City Charter can better support public excellence by improving efficiency, modernizing city government and ensuring government keeps pace with New Yorkers’ needs. Mayor Mamdani also proposed that the Commission appoint New York City longtime public servant Ann Cheng as executive director.

The Mayor has charged the Commission with reviewing the entire New York City Charter, gathering public input and issuing proposals to amend the charter. The Commission will hold 10 public hearings across the five boroughs to hear directly from New Yorkers before proposals are brought to voters on the November ballot.

COGE’s work is expected to include removing outdated bureaucratic barriers that slow infrastructure projects and delay services; equipping City agencies the authority, enforcement tools, and flexibility they need to deliver programs effectively; and modernizing government to improve efficiency and saving, reserve and budget practices. The Commission may also consider additional reforms that emerge through public engagement, testimony and research.

“New Yorkers deserve a government that works as hard as they do – and a government as careful with their money as they are. For too long, bureaucracy has stood in the way of delivering the housing, transit, child care and public services our city needs. The Commission on Government Efficiency will take a hard look at how City government functions and identify the reforms we need to deliver faster, smarter and more effectively for working people,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Restoring faith in government starts with proving government can actually deliver.”

“New Yorkers deserve and need a government of the possible -- one that can urgently build infrastructure, promote small business growth, and make the city more livable with accessible childcare and affordable groceries,” said Commission Chair Patrick Gaspard. “I am grateful to Mayor Mamdani for the opportunity to chair this commission, and I look forward to listening to New Yorkers to develop the charter for the 21st century government we need.”

“City agencies are charged with solving some of the most complex challenges facing New Yorkers, and yet too often they are hamstrung by outdated constraints and unnecessary requirements,” said Proposed Executive Director Ann Cheng. “Modernizing the charter is an opportunity to transform how city government does its job, and I am deeply grateful to Mayor Mamdani for entrusting me to serve New Yorkers in this role.”

The Charter Revision Commission’s initial public meeting will take place June 4 at 5 p.m.. The first CRC public hearing will be held June 9 at 5 p.m.. Nine additional hearing dates will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Chair Patrick Gaspard is a former American diplomat and long-time New Yorker who previously served as president of the Center for American Progress. Gaspard has served as executive director of the Democratic National Committee, United States Ambassador to South Africa, President of the Open Society Foundation, and Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU Healthcare workers East. A close aide to former President Barack Obama, Gaspard worked as Associate Personnel Director of President-elect Obama's transition team and Director of the White House Office of Political Affairs for the Obama administration. Gaspard's career in New York City included working on David Dinkins' Mayoral campaign and serving as special assistant in the Office of the Manhattan Borough President, special assistant in Dinkins' mayoral office, and chief of staff in the New York City Council.

Proposed Executive Director Ann Cheng most recently served as Director of Strategic Initiatives in the New York State Governor's Office, where she successfully led coordinated legislative and communications efforts to secure key policy wins in the 2026 state budget. Previously, she served as Chief of Staff for the CUNY Office of Budget and Finance and prior to that held multiple senior roles in New York City government. Cheng received a Hayes Innovation Award for co-founding the nation-leading New York City Asylum Application Help Center, led the Capital Process Reform Task Force to several legislative victories, and served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Staff Secretary to Mayor de Blasio during the COVID-19 crisis. Prior to entering government, Cheng taught high school and worked in higher education.

Marco A. Carrión is the President of the Consortium of Worker Education and former Commissioner of Community Affairs for New York City. Prior to joining the Consortium, Carrión served as Executive Director of El Puente, a human rights organization operating in New York City and Puerto Rico. Carrión has also worked as political director for CLC, representing 1.5 million members across 300 local unions, as Chief of Staff for State Senator Gustavo Rivera and served in senior roles for two governors. He is a Bronx native and currently resides in Brooklyn.

Henry A. Garrido is the executive director of District Council 37. Since his election to executive director in 2015, Garrido has prioritized expanding member participation, including the DC 37 Union Strong organizing campaign, which has led to the highest union membership in DC 37's 80 year history. Prior to serving as executive director, Garrido was the union's associate director. Garrido is an international vice president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), co-chair of the Municipal Labor Committee, a trustee on the City of New York’s Workforce Investment Board, an advisory board member of the New York City Independent Budget Office, and serves on the board of the New York City Employees Retirement System (NYCERS).

Susan Kang is an Associate Professor of Political Science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her research and areas of expertise include international relations, international political economy, labor and human rights and international law. She currently serves as editor of research journal Global Constitutionalism, and is the former co-chair of the Labor Project, an American Political Science Association Related Group. She is the author of Human Rights and Labor Solidarity: Trade Unions in the Global Economy, and a member of the NYC chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. She is the co-author of a book on policing of protest forthcoming with Stanford University Press and is a member of the executive council of the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY.

Kapil Longani is the Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel for the State University of New York. Longani has extensive experience in federal, state and local government and governance. His career includes serving as Chief Counsel to the Mayor of New York City, and Senior Counsel to Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings for the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in the U.S. House of Representatives where he served as the Democratic staff's lead investigator in several high profile investigations including the Flint water crisis and the federal government’s response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Prior to his work in Congress, Longani served as an Assistant US Attorney for the District of Columbia, a litigator with Skadden in New York City, and helped implement South Africa’s post-Apartheid Constitution. Longani also serves as a Commissioner on the NYC Commission on Human Rights, and on the boards of Good Shepherd Services, the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, and the National Endowment for Financial Education.

Ruth Messinger is a longtime civic leader, Jewish social justice activist and former Manhattan Borough President. Messinger served as a City Councilmember, representing Manhattan's West Side, and was the Democratic Party candidate for Mayor in 1997 after 20 years in elected office. She led the American Jewish World Service as president and CEO for nearly two decades and is now the organization’s Global Ambassador. A third generation New Yorker, Messinger worked as a social worker, community school teacher, neighborhood organizer, college administrator and global human rights activist. She has taught at various NYC colleges and is currently teaching policy and politics at Hunter College. Messinger has been an advisor to the Center for Social Responsibility at the Meyerson JCC and is now part time faculty at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America; a consultant and teacher for Elluminate, a program for social justice entrepreneurs; an immigration advocate and activist; and the co-chair of the Board of the Interfaith Center for NY.

Theodore Moore (he/him) is the Executive Director of ALIGN, setting the organization’s strategic vision for worker power and climate justice, leading engagement with campaigns and movement partners, and supervising a team of 10 staff members. Moore brings close to 20 years of movement and political advocacy experience to the position, most recently serving as New York Immigration Coalition’s (NYIC) Vice President of Policy & Programs. Previously, he was a Senior Policy Analyst for NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, with The Working Families Party (WFP), and was among the original staff of ALIGN in 2012. Moore serves on several boards including Riders Alliance, New Yorkers United for Child Care and PowerSwitch Action. A lifelong resident of Brooklyn, Moore was born and raised in East Flatbush and now calls Bed-Stuy home.

Ana Oliveira is the President & CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation. Oliveira has worked in health and human services for over two decades, including as the Executive Director of Gay Men’s Health Crisis and leading innovative community-based programs at Samaritan Village, the Osborne Association, Kings County and Lincoln Hospitals. Oliveira has also served as a member of the New York City HIV Planning Council, in the New York City Commission on AIDS, chaired the NYC Commission for LGBTQ Runaway and Homeless Youth, and Co-Chaired Mayor Bloomberg’s Young Men’s Initiative.

Dawn Pinnock is the President and CEO of the Center for Urban Community Services, one of New York City's leading social service organizations. Prior to joining CUCS, Pinnock served as Commissioner of the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services and has over three decades of experience working to modernize government operations across New York City. Pinnock co-chaired the City’s first Pay Equity Cabinet, helped lead the City’s Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity, served on the Board of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, and oversaw initiatives that reduced carbon emissions and created safer, more sustainable city operations. Pinnock also serves on the NYC Public Schools’ Pathways Industry Commission, and as a Board Trustee for Metropolitan College of New York.

Carlina Rivera is a former New York City elected official and current President and CEO of the New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH), where she leads the largest statewide coalition of affordable housing stakeholders in the country to drive faster development and long-term preservation across the five boroughs. As a New York City Council Member, Rivera helped secure millions of dollars in funding for housing preservation and production over her eight years in office. Rivera began her career in after-school programming for high-needs schools and served as Director of Programs and Services at the nonprofit Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES). Rivera also served as an officer of Manhattan Community Board 3 and as Legislative Director for Council Member Rosie Mendez.

Esther Rosario is Executive Director of Climate Jobs New York, a coalition of labor unions leading the fight for an equitable, resilient, and unionized clean energy economy. CJNY’s mission is to educate, organize, and advocate for a clean energy future at the scale that climate science demands and one that creates and protects good union jobs, centers working people, and builds stronger, more resilient communities across New York State. Ms. Rosario also serves as the Policy Director for the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. Prior to joining CJNY, Esther served as Chief of Staff to the New York State Senate Labor Chair, where she helped lead successful campaigns to raise the minimum wage, expand access to child care, strengthen prevailing wage standards in renewable energy, and advance critical worker protections statewide. Her earlier roles include Press Secretary for the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and Policy Analyst in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services. Esther also served in the Peace Corps in Colombia, where she collaborated with local leaders and international partners to develop sustainable community programs.

Marc V. Shaw is a longtime New York State and City government official who has served as New York City First Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Operations to Mayor Bloomberg, NYC Budget Director, NYC Finance Commissioner, and Finance Director for the NYC Council. Shaw is currently Chair of the Advisory Board and Senior Advisor at the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance. At CUNY, his experience includes serving as Senior Advisor to the CUNY Chancellor and Senior Vice Chancellor for Budget, Finance and Financial Policy. Shaw also served as a Senior Advisor to the Governor on MTA finances, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for the MTA from 1996 to 2001, and earlier in his career served on the New York State Senate Finance Committee.

Barika X. Williams is a New York City housing expert and Executive Director of the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development (ANHD), where her work focuses on advancing equitable community development strategies that empower marginalized communities. Prior to joining ANHD, she served as Assistant Secretary for Housing for the State of New York under Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, worked in real estate development in Washington, DC, and published at the Urban Institute. Williams served on the inaugural US Treasury Advisory Committee on Racial Equity (TARCE), and has presented nationally and internationally on neighborhood and economic justice.

Emma Wolfe is passionate about higher education, public service, and strategic leadership, currently serving as Chief of Staff to the President of New York University. Before working in higher education, she spent two decades working in city and state government and on local, state, and federal political and advocacy campaigns. Emma was previously the Vice President for Government and Community Relations at Dartmouth. Prior to that inaugural role, she was the first Senior Advisor to the President for External Relations and Leadership Development at Barnard College. She also taught crisis management in government for the Columbia University and Barnard Urban Studies department. During Bill de Blasio’s New York City Mayoral administration, Emma served as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and then as Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Administration.

Kathryn Wylde is an urban policy expert and widely recognized New York civic and business leader. For fifty years, Wylde has played a central role in building and maintaining New York’s thriving economy, as well as the revitalization of the city’s neighborhoods, development of affordable housing, reform of the public education system, modernization of the public transit system, and advancing public health and safety. Wylde recently stepped down after 25 years as President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, the city’s preeminent business organization. She is a Senior Strategic Advisor to Invariant, a top Washington D.C.-based public affairs firm, and a member of the Advisory Board of the NYC Independent Budget Office. She serves on the boards of the NYC Economic Development Corporation, the New York State NYC Regional Economic Development Council, the Fund for Public Schools, the Manhattan Institute, Invest Puerto Rico, and the Partnership Fund for New York City. She writes a regular column for Crain’s New York Business and is a frequent spokesperson on issues that impact the city and state.

Matthew Perry’s Former Live-In Personal Assistant Sentenced to Nearly 3½ Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Ketamine to Actor

 

A San Fernando Valley man who was actor and author Matthew Perry’s live-in personal assistant was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for obtaining and repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine, including the fatal dose that ended Perry’s life in October 2023.

Kenneth Iwamasa, 61, of Toluca Lake, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett, who also fined him $10,000.

Iwamasa pleaded guilty in August 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and serious bodily injury. He is the fifth and final defendant to be sentenced in connection with Perry’s death.

According to court documents, Iwamasa knew Perry since 1992 and became his live-in personal assistant in 2022. In this role, he was paid $150,000 per year and had various responsibilities, including coordinating Perry’s medical care and ensuring that Perry took the medication that he was lawfully prescribed by treating physicians. 

Iwamasa is not a medical professional and has no expertise or training in that field. He also was aware of Perry’s long history of drug addiction. Prosecutors wrote in their sentencing position that “rather than help Mr. Perry maintain sobriety, [Iwamasa] became his enabler and drug supplier,” ultimately causing Mr. Perry’s death.

In September 2023 and continuing until Perry’s death on October 28, 2023, Iwamasa conspired with multiple people, including a physician, Salvador Plasencia, 44, a.k.a. “Dr. P,” of Santa Monica, and a drug counselor, Erik Fleming, 56, of Hawthorne, to knowingly and intentionally distribute ketamine to Perry.

Plasencia distributed 20 vials and multiple tablets of ketamine and syringes to Iwamasa and Perry and taught Iwamasa how to inject the ketamine into Perry, knowing that his conduct fell below the proper standard of medical care and that the ketamine transfers were not for a legitimate medical purpose. Plasencia charged a total of $57,000 for these efforts, even though the going price of ketamine was only approximately $15 per vial. Plasencia did not provide the ketamine that caused Perry’s death.

Iwamasa witnessed Plasencia inject Perry with a large dose of ketamine that caused the actor to “freeze up” and be unable to move or speak. Despite Plasencia stating, “Let’s not do that again,” Iwamasa already had begun arranging for a steady – and cheaper – supply of ketamine from Fleming, court documents state.

In October 2023, Iwamasa purchased 51 vials of ketamine from Fleming over the course of 11 days. Fleming obtained the ketamine from his drug source, Jasveen Sangha, 42, a.k.a. “Ketamine Queen,” of North Hollywood. 

Leading up to Perry’s death, Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with the ketamine that Sangha supplied to Fleming. During this period, Iwamasa witnessed Perry’s increasing addiction to ketamine. He found Perry unconscious at his residence on at least two occasions and witnessed an immediate adverse reaction following a ketamine injection where Perry froze up and was unable to talk or move. On October 28, 2023, Iwamasa injected Perry with at least three shots of Sangha’s ketamine, which caused Perry’s death.

On the day of Perry’s death, after Iwamasa called 911 to Perry’s residence, Los Angeles Police officers questioned him. When asked about what medications Perry was currently taking, Iwamasa provided a robust list of treating doctors and medications

Perry had been prescribed. Iwamasa, however, intentionally omitted ketamine from the list. When Iwamasa recounted the events leading up to Perry’s death, he provided a chronology that concealed the ketamine injections he had administered to Perry, including the third shot that Iwamasa administered just hours earlier, prior to Perry’s death.

Iwamasa also took steps to remove and destroy evidence related to Perry’s use of ketamine in the days leading up to the actor’s death. After doing so, Iwamasa contacted Fleming on the phone and told him that he had cleaned up the scene, including the ketamine bottles and syringes, and that he had “deleted everything,” according to court documents.

Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, said “The unexpected and profound loss of Mr. Perry caused immeasurable suffering, not only to his family, but to his friends and fans. Their agony was only compounded by a sense betrayal and breach of trust. Iwamasa was one of five persons, whose individual actions played a role in the death of the late ‘Friends’ actor. There are people in that sphere of co-defendants, who betrayed their profession and their role of trust. This trial, this journey has been a painful one for so many. No outcome will bring Mr. Perry back. But know that the DEA remains committed to investigating and bringing to justice those who cause this level of harm.”

Sangha, Plasencia, and Fleming are serving federal prison sentences, respectively, of 15 years, 2½ years, and two years, after pleading guilty to federal narcotics charges. 

Mark Chavez, 55, a former San Diego physician, was ordered to serve a sentence of eight months of home detention, 300 hours of community service, and three years of probation. He pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Chavez operated a ketamine clinic and sold the drug to Plasencia, who then distributed it to Perry. 

Chavez surrendered his medical license in November 2024. Plasencia surrendered his medical license in September 2025.

The Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this matter.

Staten Island Man Sentenced For His Role In Plot To Stalk And Murder A Journalist And Prominent Critic Of The Iranian Government

 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Donald Holstead, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI, James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced that JONATHAN LOADHOLT was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his participation in a plot directed by the Government of Iran targeting Masih Alinejad, a journalist, author, and human rights activist.  LOADHOLT previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who imposed this sentence. 

“The Government of Iran has repeatedly attempted to locate and murder Masih Alinejad, right here in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “The Government of Iran tried to silence Ms. Alinejad because of her efforts to stand up to the Iranian regime and expose its discriminatory treatment of women, corruption, and human rights abuses.  While this plot was directed from Iran, the would-be assassins were American citizens who agreed to kill Ms. Alinejad for money—out of greed.  This sentence should be a serious warning to anyone who tries to profit by carrying out the wishes of a hostile foreign regime on United States soil.” 

“Tehran attempted to murder a U.S. journalist in the United States simply because she exposed a few of that regime’s many abuses,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg.  “The defendant now stands convicted and sentenced to a lengthy prison sentence for his role in this plot.  The Department and its colleagues will work tirelessly to protect Americans and to seek justice when our laws are broken.”

“With this sentencing, Jonathan Loadholt will pay the price for participating in a plot orchestrated by Iran to kill a journalist and human rights activist who criticized the Iranian government’s policies,” said FBI Assistant Director Donald Holstead.  “The FBI will use all our resources to detect and prevent anyone working for foreign powers who attempts to harm individuals living in the United States, and we will coordinate closely with the Justice Department to make sure such criminals face the full weight of American justice.”

“Jonathan Loadholt served as a hired gun to stalk, surveil, and ultimately assassinate Masih Alinejad—a United States citizen—on behalf of the IRGC,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr.  “The FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force disrupted and arrested him before he could carry out his plan.  The FBI will squash all attempts to silence critics of oppressive regimes on American soil.”

As reflected in the charging instruments, other public filings, and statements in public court proceedings:

In 2024, LOADHOLT’s friend and co-defendant, CARLISLE RIVERA, a/k/a “Pop,” a convicted murderer, was hired by RIVERA’s criminal confederate, FARHAD SHAKERI, to murder Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”).   The IRGC is a military and intelligence organization that directly reports to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and is the Government of Iran’s primary instrument for providing financial and lethal aid to proxy terror groups in the Middle East.  Among its activities, the IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting, among others, U.S. citizens residing abroad and in the United States.  Ms. Alinejad is one of the IRGC’s principal targets.  The IRGC and the Government of Iran’s intelligence services have long sought to kidnap or murder Ms. Alinejad because of her efforts to promote gender equality and civil liberties in Iran and to expose the regime’s corruption, oppression, and terrorism to the international community.  In 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Ms. Alinejad in the U.S. for rendition to Iran; then, in 2022, the IRGC hired powerful, violent members of the Russian Mob to murder Ms. Alinejad.  After those efforts failed, the IRGC turned to SHAKERI, who hired RIVERA, who in turn recruited LOADHOLT to assist him, to kill Ms. Alinejad. 

SHAKERI offered RIVERA $100,000 for he and LOADHOLT to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad, and RIVERA agreed.  LOADHOLT was recruited into the plot by RIVERA and, using money sent by SHAKERI, RIVERA and LOADHOLT conducted surveillance on Ms. Alinejad with the aim of killing her.  Using money sent by SHAKERI, RIVERA and LOADHOLT purchased a firearm and “burner” cellphones.  LOADHOLT and RIVERA spent several months attempting to find and kill Ms. Alinejad, using LOADHOLT’s car and fake license plates, including by following her to a public speaking event at Fairfield University and repeatedly stalking the Brooklyn house where SHAKERI and the IRGC believed Ms. Alinejad lived.    

During their efforts to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad, LOADHOLT and RIVERA shared messages about their progress and photographs relating to their murder plot.  For example, in February 2024, LOADHOLT and RIVERA messaged about an incoming payment from SHAKERI, and then traveled to Fairfield University, where Ms. Alinejad was scheduled to appear, and took photographs on campus.  In July 2024, LOADHOLT and RIVERA exchanged messages discussing their expected upfront payment for murdering Ms. Alinejad. During those messages, LOADHOLT expressed frustration about the apparent absence of a $10,000 advance, partial payment for Ms. Alinejad’s murder, writing to RIVERA “So no 10 up front I’m guessing??” and, after RIVERA confirmed no upfront payment had been made, LOADHOLT responded, “I’m so frustrated son I’m like ready to jump out the window.”

On November 7, 2024, before he and RIVERA could complete their task of killing Ms. Alinejad, LOADHOLT was arrested.  At LOADHOLT’s residence, law enforcement agents recovered, among other things, more than two dozen rounds of ammunition.

In addition to the prison term, LOADHOLT, 37, of Staten Island, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.

LOADHOLT is the second defendant to be sentenced in this case.  In January 2026, RIVERA was sentenced to 15 years in prison by Judge Liman, after previously having pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. SHAKERI remains at large.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents and analysts from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office.  Mr. Clayton also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection New York Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, and the New York State Police. 

This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig and Michael D. Lockard are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Leslie Esbrook of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. 

Final of Four Conspirators Sentenced to Over 18 Years in Prison for Using Darknet Marketplace to Distribute Dangerous Counterfeit Pills in Homeland Security Task Force Case

 

Defendants Sentenced to Total of Over 57 Years in Prison; Conspiracy’s Counterfeit Oxycodone Pills Contained a Number of Substances, Including Fentanyl and Pyro

As a result of a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation, four Massachusetts men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a conspiracy to manufacture counterfeit pills and distribute them across the United States.

According to court documents, from at least May 2022 to June 2025, Daniel John Blaney, 28; Kenneth Emmanuel Lora, 27; David Robert Kable Jr., 27; and Javier Alexander Bermudez, 31, all from Lynn, Massachusetts, engaged in a massive conspiracy to manufacture and distribute counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene (Pyro), methamphetamine, and Bromazolam. The conspirators transported the pills in kilogram quantities from the Northeast to a redistributor in New York and then distributed them primarily via darknet marketplaces and the U.S. Postal Service to customers nationwide.

Blaney was sentenced today to 18 years and 4 months in prison. Kable was sentenced on April 29 to 12 years in prison. Bermudez was sentenced March 18 to 12 years in prison. Lora was sentenced on Dec. 17, 2025, to 15 years in prison. The defendants had previously pleaded guilty: Blaney on Jan. 7; Kable on Dec. 2, 2025; Bermudez on Dec. 9, 2025; and Lora on Aug. 27, 2025.

“These four men are responsible for manufacturing and then flooding American communities with incredibly dangerous counterfeit narcotics, some of which contained synthetic opioids even more powerful than deadly Fentanyl,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Thanks to the combined efforts of the Homeland Security Task Force, this scheme has been dismantled, and the conspirators have been prosecuted and imprisoned for their crimes against the American people.”

“These four conspirators orchestrated a large-scale scheme to manufacture and distribute counterfeit pills laced with deadly amounts of dangerous chemicals that took the lives of too many victims, and it could have easily been many more,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “These criminals will spend years behind bars for the incredible turmoil they have inflicted on American families. This is yet another victory for the Homeland Security Task Force, fervently using all available prosecutorial and investigative tools to put criminals like these four men in federal prison so they cannot infect communities and destroy more lives.”

“Criminals who exploit darknet marketplaces to traffic counterfeit pills are fueling a deadly epidemic with absolutely no regard for human life,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon. “These defendants manufactured and distributed substances so dangerous that a single pill can be fatal. Through relentless investigation and close coordination across the Homeland Security Task Force, law enforcement dismantled this operation and held these people accountable. We will continue pursuing the individuals and networks profiting from poison in our communities.”

The conspirators used industrial pill presses to manufacture counterfeit Oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax pills. Instead of the pharmaceuticals’ normal content, however, the conspirators’ pills contained differing substances depending on the batch. For example, the conspiracy’s counterfeit oxycodone pills contained a number of substances, including fentanyl and Pyro. Counterfeit Adderall pills typically contained methamphetamine, while counterfeit Xanax pills typically contained Bromazolam, a synthetic benzodiazepine.

The conspirators typically received payment from customers in the form of cryptocurrency. Estimates of the conspiracy’s reach show that the conspiracy was responsible for at least 9,000 sales of pills containing methamphetamine, fentanyl, or Pyro.

Pyro is in the Nitazene class of synthetic opioids commonly sourced from China and mixed into other drugs. The most common Nitazenes are approximately five times the strength of fentanyl. The Pyro in this case is approximately 20-40 times stronger than fentanyl. Over a dozen fatal overdoses were related to the conspiracy’s pills.

On June 4, 2025, Lora was arrested in New York. During a search of his drug premise, investigators recovered over 39 kilograms of controlled substances.

On June 17, 2025, law enforcement searched a storage unit maintained by Bermudez and Blaney and recovered five industrial pill presses, pill press attachments used to imprint counterfeit pharmaceutical brandings onto pills, over 33 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 41 kilograms of binding material, and manufacturing paraphernalia. 

On July 12, 2025, Blaney fled through Canada and ultimately to Thailand to avoid prosecution. In advance of his flight, he fraudulently obtained a rush U.S. Passport. Blaney was expelled from Thailand and taken into federal custody on Aug. 25, 2025.

The FBI Washington Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service New York Division, New York City Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and HSI investigated the case. The FBI Boston Field Office, DEA New England Division, and the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts provided significant investigative assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather D. Call and Christopher M. Carter for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in Blaney’s return to the United States.

This case is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Manassas is comprised of agents and officers from the FBI; HSI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); DEA; the Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Transportation Security Administration Federal Air Marshals Service; CBP; Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Washington Baltimore HIDTA. Prosecution is being led by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.