The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been accused of disseminating misinformation regarding a shooting incident involving a federal immigration agent in New York. DHS claimed in an X post that "numerous lies" were being spread about the event by "sanctuary politicians."
The incident involved plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers approaching Oscar Belgal, 28, in his vehicle with their weapons drawn. Belgal was with his 5-year-old child at the time. An ICE officer subsequently shot Belgal in the neck.
Body camera footage released by the New York Police Department shows officers providing aid to Belgal after the shooting. The video depicts plainclothes ICE agents, some wearing masks, with one unmasked agent holding a rifle and talking on a cellphone.
In subsequent social media posts, DHS attempted to counter what it labeled as "claims" with "facts." Regarding the shooting itself, DHS stated, "CLAIM: A New Yorker was shot by ICE agents in Marble Hill." It then countered with, "FACT: This ‘New Yorker’ is a criminal illegal alien from the Dominican Republic." This framing was criticized for attempting to obscure the core facts of the event.
DHS also disputed claims that ICE officers wore construction vests and masks to conceal their identities. "CLAIM: The ICE agents wore construction vests and masks that concealed their faces. There was no reasonable way to identify them as ICE agents," the department posted. It followed this with a statement that Belgal "was the subject of a targeted enforcement action. What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether or not they are illegally in U.S."
At a press conference, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that immigration agents were unaware a child was present in the vehicle when the shooting occurred. "We wasn’t aware the child was in the car, I can tell you that," Mullin said.