Migrant Shot by ICE Still Faces Medical and Jail Ordeal, Lawyers Say

Oscar Belgal, 28, an undocumented immigrant from the Dominican Republic who was shot by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents last week, is experiencing severe medical distress and inadequate jail conditions, his lawyers stated. Belgal's legal team, from the Legal Aid Society and Make the Road New York, reported that he has a bullet lodged in his neck, is unable to eat, and has limited hearing and sensation on the left side of his face. He is also suffering from a shoulder wound sustained from shattered glass during the incident.

Belgal is currently held in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His lawyers claim he has not eaten since the day of the shooting and that the only available water comes from a bathroom sink. They described his situation as an "unimaginable nightmare" and highlighted that doctors have advised him he urgently needs surgery, but the procedure was deemed too dangerous to perform without a specialized surgeon.

The incident occurred last Thursday when plainclothes ICE agents encountered Belgal in the Marble Hill neighborhood of Manhattan. According to authorities, Belgal, who has a criminal record including a 2023 armed robbery conviction and a 2025 arrest for alleged drug trafficking, was picking up his 5-year-old son. ICE stated that Belgal accelerated his vehicle and rammed into two agents before he was shot.

Belgal's lawyers criticized ICE, stating that the agency "showed deliberate indifference" and that his treatment in detention reflects "cruelty and disregard for basic human dignity."

Authorities reported that Belgal entered the U.S. illegally in 2022. His legal team is advocating for his "immediate release from detention" and demanding that he receive the necessary medical care, due process, and basic human dignity they argue he is entitled to under the law.