A former New York City Council employee is facing deportation after an immigration judge ruled he must be removed from the United States, a decision that has drawn sharp backlash from city leaders who say they will challenge the outcome.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin announced the ruling on Wednesday, calling it a “miscarriage of justice and wholly deplorable” and confirming that an appeal will be filed in an effort to reverse the decision.

The case centers on Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez, 53, who was taken into custody two months ago during a scheduled immigration appointment. At the time, the Department of Homeland Security identified him as a Venezuelan national who had overstayed his visa and described him as a “criminal illegal alien” with a prior assault arrest.

Federal authorities have also stated that Rubio Bohorquez worked for about a year as a data analyst for the New York City Council despite lacking formal authorization to be employed.

City officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Menin, have strongly pushed back on those claims, insisting that Rubio Bohorquez was legally permitted to remain in the United States and had the right to work.

“Today, Judge Conroy ordered the removal of Rafael Rubio, our City Council employee, from the United States,” Menin said. “We are outraged and will continue to pursue every legal avenue to secure his release and ensure his case is properly heard on appeal.”

“This is an affront to justice,” Mamdani added in a post on X. “A dedicated public servant with legal authorization to remain in the country, Rafael showed up for a routine immigration appointment and, despite following the rules, he was detained and has now been held for months.”

According to DHS, Rubio Bohorquez entered the United States in 2017 on a B2 tourist visa and was required to leave that same year. Menin, however, said he had been granted permission to remain in the country through October 2026.

Menin further argued that the deportation ruling stemmed from what she described as a procedural issue tied to his asylum case. She said the problem involved a missing signature on paperwork and that he was not given a chance to correct it—something his attorney reportedly said could have been resolved within an hour.

“Today’s ruling appears to hinge on a procedural issue related to his asylum application,” Menin added. “That is extremely troubling. A technical error should not determine the fate of a man who has done everything right and poses no risk to anyone.”

Local officials said they intend to move quickly to appeal the decision and are calling for Rubio Bohorquez to be released while the legal process continues.

“Let me be clear: Rafael should not continue to be detained while this is sorted out,” Menin said. “An appeal will be filed, and we demand that Rafael’s case be properly heard by the deadline on April 17. At a minimum, he should be released pending that appeal. There is no justification for continuing to hold him under these circumstances.”