Immigration and Customs Enforcement has blasted New York City's sanctuary laws, saying the city ignored a federal immigration detainer for a man who went on to be charged with the rape and murder of a 92-year-old woman.

Reeaz Khan, 21, walked free without bail on assault and gun charges in late November, six weeks before he was arrested again on Friday and charged in the horrific murder of Maria Fuertes in Queens.

On Tuesday, ICE released a statement excoriating the city for not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement, saying the murder could have been prevented if its agents had been allowed in November to take custody of Khan, a Guyanese national who is present in the U.S. illegally.

'New York City's stance against honoring detainers is dangerously flawed,' said Thomas R. Decker, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations field office director for New York. 'It was a deadly choice to release a man on an active ICE detainer back onto the streets after his first arrest.'

Reeaz Khan, 21, (left) walked free without bail six weeks before he was arrested again on Friday and charged in the horrific murder of Maria Fuertes (right)

'New York City's sanctuary policies continue to threaten the safety of all residents of the five boroughs,' Decker said.

Decker said that every month, New York City releases 'hundreds' of individuals who have been criminally charged and are sought by ICE for deportation.

'Clearly the politicians care more about criminal illegal aliens than the citizens they are elected to serve and protect,' Decker said.

Detainers are federal requests to local law enforcement to hold people who have been arrested on criminal charges for transfer to ICE for deportation proceedings. New York City is one of many jurisdictions that have laws forbidding cooperation with ICE detainers.

A spokeswoman for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, fired back at the criticism in a statement blasting ICE.

'It is shameful that the Trump Administration is politicizing this tragedy,' spokeswoman Olivia Lapeyrolerie told the New York Daily News.

'If Mr. Khan is convicted, the city will cooperate with federal officials in accordance with local law,' she said.

The savage murder unfolded on the streets of the Richmond Hills neighborhood after midnight on January 6.

Surveillance video shot near the scene of the savage murder led police to Khan

Fuertes was discovered lying 'incoherent' on a street near her home in Queens around 2am on Monday, with a broken spine, rib fractures and bruising on her chest and neck.

The much-loved local - whom neighbors referred to as 'grandma' - later died in a hospital.

Hugo Fuertes, Maria's son, said she was 'a very nice, very good lady' who never caused harm to anyone.

Aneil Ram, who lived nearby, told ABC News: 'She was a sweet lady.

'We all knew her since we were small and it's sickening to even hear something like that happening to her.'

Surveillance video from the night of the brutal murder led detectives to Khan.

Investigators believe Khan approached Fuertes from behind while she was walking home from a deli where she went to buy cat food late at night.

Police assert Khan then attacked her, before the pair became involved in a scuffle and fell to the ground.

Reeaz Khan, 21, is walked outside of 106th Police Precinct, in Queens on Friday evening, after he was arrested on suspicion of raping and murdering a 92-year-old woman

Investigators believe Khan approached Fuertes from behind while she was walking home from a deli where she went to buy cat food late at night

Khan reported claimed he tripped and 'his penis fell near her vagina' before proclaiming his innocence and saying he'd never rape a woman because he already has a girlfriend

However, Khan told detectives that he was simply walking through the area when he came across Fuertes lying on the pavement, the The New York Post reported.

He claims he was trying to help her up when 'he fell down, his belt broke, his pants fell down and his penis fell near her vagina'.

Khan told detectives that at that moment 'something came over him' and he 'lifted up Fuertes' skirt and try to put his penis inside of her,' according to the Post.

Khan reportedly admitted to suffering 'uncontrollable urges,' and decided to act upon them.

Days after his arrest, Khan totally denied the charges in a jailhouse interview, saying he had no need to rape an elderly woman because he already had a girlfriend.

'Why would I touch a 92 year old woman?' he told the Daily News. 'I have a girlfriend and have had sex with other women.'

However, despite the young man's denials, most, including his own father do not believe him.

'You make your kids, but you don't make their minds,' father Afraz Khan said. 'We're very sorry for what happened. Our sympathies go out to that woman's family.'

Khan is currently being held without bail on Rikers Island. He is charged with murder, sexual abuse, contact by forcible compulsion, and sexual abuse against a person incapable of consent.