CNN anchors momentarily silent after learning why migrant gangs don’t stay in Florida: ‘There you go to jail'

CNN anchors were momentarily silent Friday after learning that some migrant gangs run criminal operations in New York City, retreat to Florida and return to New York because they don't face any threat of jail.

CNN law enforcement analyst John Miller said Friday that he learned from police detectives that migrant gang crews operate in New York City and then go to Florida to spend the money.

"But I'm like, 'why don't they just stay and steal in Florida?'" Miller said in a conversation about a group of migrants who attacked an NYPD officer and lieutenant in front of a shelter on West 42nd Street in Manhattan. 

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CNN anchors were momentarily silent Friday after learning that some migrant gangs run criminal operations in New York City, retreat to Florida and return to New York because they don't face any threat of jail. (NYPD / New York Post)

The assault was captured on CCTV cameras and later shared by police. 

"They said, ‘because there you go to jail,’" Miller added, recounting a conversation with detectives. 

That anecdote momentarily quieted CNN anchors Erica Hill and Phil Mattingly. 

"Oh," Hill said. "Fair point," Mattingly said in turn, in a clip flagged by Daily Caller reporter Brianna Lyman. 

Miller said that while most migrants are looking for honest work in the city, a small percentage of migrants are more interested in criminal activity. 

"But within that group [of] throngs of people in search of hope and a better life, there is this 1% criminal element that looks at a different opportunity here," Miller said. 

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Miller said that while most migrants are looking for honest work in the city, a small percentage of migrants are more interested in criminal activity.  (CNN screenshot)

"These individuals, I went over their rap sheets yesterday, multiple charges, grand larceny, robbery, attempted robbery," the CNN analyst said, referring to the migrants suspected of assaulting police officers. 

"This particular crew operated on mopeds and scooters," he said. "They were doing organized retail theft, they were doing snatches on the street. iPhones, iPads, clothing, so on and so forth. One of them that they are still seeking has 10 charges in one day because he's part of a pattern that's going on."

"I'm looking at the dates that their arrests started, which is probably close to when they got here, they've only been here a couple of months." 

The NYPD has since arrested assault suspects Darwin Andres Gomez Izquiel, 19, of Mississippi; Kelvin Servat Arocha, 19, of Brooklyn; Juarez Wilson, 21, of Queens; Yorman Reveron, 24, of Brooklyn and Jhoan Boada, 22, who is listed as homeless. 

They were all hit with a variety of charges, including assault on a police officer, gang assault, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct.

Reveron has two pending cases in Manhattan for assault and robbery, according to the New York Post. He allegedly attacked a loss prevention officer at a Macy's department store during an alleged robbery and allegedly punched and bit a Nordstrom Rack employee in November. 

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More than 785,000 migrant encounters have been reported since the beginning of the fiscal year on Oct. 1 — the highest first-quarter total ever recorded. 

Fox News' Michael Dorgon and Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.