Federal judge orders NYC Council staffer to be deported

(The Center Square) — A New York City Council employee detained by federal authorities more than two months ago must be deported, a federal judge has ruled.

Rafael Rubio, a 53-year-old Venezuelan national, was detained in January by federal immigration officials in Nassau County during a “routine” appointment, and a group of Democrats has been pressing for his release. He remains in ICE custody after a U.S. Immigration Judge Charles Conroy rejected his asylum application earlier this week.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who has led calls for Rubio’s release, claims he had legal authorization to remain in the country until October, despite claims by federal authorities he had overstayed his 2017 tourist visa and lacked work authorization. She criticized the ruling, claiming the judge refused to remove the deportation order because of a “missing signature” on his application.

“That is not justice. That is an extreme, cruel, inhumane outcome based on a technical procedural issue,” Menin said in a state...