NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — President Joe Biden will deliver the State of the Union Thursday night, and the two NYPD officers that were beat in a Times Square mob attack that made national headlines in January were invited to attend by New York Republican representatives.
“Lt. Ben Kurian & PO Zunxu Tian were attacked by illegal migrants for simply wearing the uniform,” Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who represents the majority of Hempstead and Long Beach on Long Island, wrote on X.
“Tonight, they will join @SpeakerJohnson @RepMalliotakis & I at the #SOTU.”
Malliotakis, who represents Staten Island and southern Brooklyn, also confirmed the invitation extended by herself, D’Esposito and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“It's an honor to welcome #NYPD Lt. Ben Kurian, Officer Zunxu Tian and their wives to the Capitol for tonight's #StateOfTheUnion,” she wrote. “Sadly these officers were attacked by individuals who should not have been in our city, but were given parole by President Biden.”
Malliotakis has been critical of the Biden administration’s border policies, stating that any migrant that commits a crime in NYC should be deported immediately and have future immigration applications denied.
Lieutenant Ben Kurian and Police Officer Zunxu Tian were beaten by a group of men outside of a migrant shelter in Times Square, located at 220 West 42nd St., on Jan. 27. They were pummeled and stomped on, sustaining bruises, cuts and a broken wrist.
Bodycam footage showing the chaotic moments leading to the brawl was released on Feb. 8 by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, hours after seven people were indicted. Five men pleaded not guilty to the attack on Feb. 16, and a Venezuelan man charged in the case was cleared of wrongdoing on March 1 in the developing legal attempt to hold the attackers accountable.
In addition to other high-profile crimes involving migrants, like a February shooting in Times Square, the case has elicited strong pushback from conservatives against NYC’s sanctuary policies.