The Department of Homeland Security says an illegal immigrant charged with a March arson that killed four people is being protected by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Roman Ceron Amatitla, 38, faces charges of second-degree murder and first-degree arson in connection with a March 16 fire in Flushing that left four dead and injured seven others, according to Fox News.
He was arraigned on the charges last week, according to WABC-TV. He is being held without bail, the station reported.
DHS said Amatitla is a Mexican national who should be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to Fox News. It was unclear when and where he entered the country.
DHS said that a Tuesday request to the New York City Department of Corrections was rejected.
“This monster set fire to a building and watched as innocent people, including a three-year-old, burned to death. New York City sanctuary politicians REFUSE to cooperate with ICE and are choosing to RELEASE this MURDERER onto New York streets,” DHS acting assistant secretary Lauren Bis told Fox Digital in a statement.
“New York’s sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety,” she said.
“Releasing this monster from jail is insanity and will allow him to commit more crimes and create more innocent victims. We are calling on Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani to not release this public safety threat,” she said.
DHS said Mamdani’s policy of refusing to collaborate with ICE protects criminal illegal immigrants and “allows them to reoffend and create more innocent victims.”
Sihan Yang, 3, and Chengri Cui, 50, Shin Chie Ming, 61, and Hong Zhao, 64, were killed in the March 16 arson, according to CBS.
“This was pandemonium. This was a burning fire, this was a house that was on fire, and what led up to fire is really quite disturbing,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
Surveillance video showed a suspect entering and leaving the building three times. Amatitla is accused of then buying a beer and stealing another while grabbing matches from a store across the street.
NEW: Man accused of starting Queens fire that killed four people, including a 3-year-old child
Roman Amatitla, 38, was charged with murder, assault, arson, and petit larceny in connection to a deadly fire on March 16
Four people were killed, including 3-year-old Sihan Yang and… pic.twitter.com/k7EbJhxFW9
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) April 9, 2026
The suspect is then accused of returning to the building, where a piece of paper was lit on fire and then dropped into a pile of garbage at the foot of a first-floor set of stairs.
“And just let it burn. And he intentionally let it burn. And four people were killed. Three people died of smoke inhalation, including a 3-year-old child,” Katz said.
Zhao, 64, jumped to flee the fire but died from injuries suffered in the fall, a criminal complaint said.
“Set it on fire and watched it as it burned, drinking some beers,” Katz said.
The criminal complaint said Amatitla told police he had been fired from his job after a fight at work and “needed to get his anger out,” according to the criminal complaint.
Katz called the deadly fire was “one of the greatest crimes this borough has seen in a very long time.”
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