Dear New Yorkers,

In January, a viral 45-second video clip of a clash between migrants and police officers in Times Square seized national attention. It was replayed endlessly on Fox News, online and even in a pro-Trump campaign ad.

Nine weeks later, the incident — in which prosecutors say one officer suffered a cut on his nose and bruising on his face and bicep, and the other from lingering shoulder pain — has largely receded from the conversation. Two of the men accused of the most serious conduct remain at large.

But two friends, Kelvin Servita-Arocha and 21-year-old Wilson Juarez, neither of whom touched the officers, are now mysteriously in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — waiting to learn how a scuffle that was over almost as quickly as it began may reshape their lives. 

Though Servita-Arocha and Juarez were released after the incident, they were taken away on Feb. 13 from their Bronx apartment, where police had gone with a warrant to arrest another person staying there. Servita-Arocha and Juarez were handcuffed and placed in ICE custody. The family living in the apartment had NYPD officers at their door for two days, who told them they couldn’t come back if they left.

It’s unclear if ICE officers were with the police when they made the arrests, or if the NYPD took the men into custody and then passed them to immigration authorities. The first scenario would be highly unusual for a routine arrest warrant; the second would be a violation of the city’s sanctuary policies.

Read more about Servita-Arocha and Juarez’s detentions here.

This month, THE CITY celebrates five years since we’ve launched!

We’re honored so many New Yorkers rely on us to serve them the most vital news happening around the five boroughs.

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Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather

Friday’s Weather Rating: 4/10. Another gradual improvement (look at us go). High temperatures in the mid-50s with partly sunny skies. Isolated showers are possible this afternoon and blustery west winds will continue. The vibes are … getting there.

Our Other Top Stories

  • According to a new Department of Sanitation study, New Yorkers are recycling less and contaminating more potentially recyclable materials than in previous years. Rates of properly recycled material — that is, stuff that gets put into the correct bin — has declined about 2% since 2017. Though a spokesperson characterized that change “negligible,” the study still reveals that New Yorkers are only recycling about half of the paper and cardboard that could be recycled, and about 41% of glass, metal and plastic.
  • A literal turf war is underway at Bennett Park in Washington Heights, where the Parks Department plans to replace a dusty field with artificial turf. To some, the area is an eye sore that would be improved by the artificial green grass. But some 300 local residents have environmental and health concerns. In a letter sent ahead of a protest that was held yesterday, they cited a growing body of research about the presence of chemicals, microplastics and other harmful substances in the turf.
  • Detainees on Rikers Island between the ages of 18 and 21 are legally entitled to attend public school in the penal facility. But according to a motion filed on Monday in federal court by The Legal Aid Society, the young adults incarcerated in city jails are systematically denied that opportunity, reports Chalkbeat. In practice, they are frequently told they’re ineligible to attend school based on which housing unit they’re assigned to — or that they can’t attend class because no guards are available to escort them, according to declarations from 29 incarcerated young people.
  • Voting starts tomorrow, April 6, for participatory budgeting in 24 out of New York’s 51 City Council districts. That means you might get stopped in the street and asked to vote on how to spend more than $30 million of the city’s money. How does this process happen, and what do you need to know about PB before you cast a vote this week? Read THE CITY’s guide here.

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

THE KICKER: Each year, the Mayoral Service Recognition Program celebrates New Yorkers who give back as volunteers or AmeriCorps members, and asks the public to vote on nominees across several categories. You can learn more about this year’s nominees and vote here before Sunday, April 7.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Friday.

Love,

THE CITY

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