Politics — Crime-and-justice

Undocumented immigrant pleads guilty after shooting border agent in Manhattan

A stolen phone led to a violent confrontation—and a bullet to a federal agent's face. Now, the shooter faces prison and certain deportation.

, and Administrator

2026 May 5 . 6:08 AM

1 min read

The image shows a black and white photo of a field with a hill in the background, a building on the... — The image shows a black and white photo of a field with a hill in the background, a building on the right side, and a sky at the top. At the bottom of the image, there is text which reads "New York State Penitentiary".

Undocumented immigrant pleads guilty after shooting border agent in Manhattan

Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing ammunition as an unauthorised immigrant in the US. The case follows a shooting incident in Upper Manhattan last summer, where an off-duty border patrol agent was wounded. Mora Nunez now faces up to 15 years in prison and likely deportation.

The incident began when Mora Nunez allegedly stole a woman’s phone in Fort Washington Park. Moments later, he approached an off-duty US Customs and Border Patrol agent. A confrontation escalated, and Mora Nunez shot the officer in the face.

The agent returned fire, striking Mora Nunez in the leg and groin. Both men survived their injuries. Authorities later confirmed that Mora Nunez had entered the US illegally from the Dominican Republic in 2023. In federal court, he admitted to knowing his immigration status was unlawful. He also confessed to possessing ammunition without legal permission. As part of his plea deal, he agreed to surrender several cartridges to the government.

Mora Nunez is scheduled for sentencing in September. His guilty plea ensures a maximum possible prison term of 15 years. Deportation to the Dominican Republic is now almost certain after his release.