NYC Mayor Asks Garage Owners to Block ICE Operations
In a draft letter, Mayor Zohran Mamdani urges private businesses not to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use their property for enforcement actions, citing recent incidents.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani is seeking to enlist private New York City garage and parking lot owners to prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from using their properties for operations. Mamdani plans to send a letter to these business owners asking them not to rent or lend their spaces to ICE for staging enforcement actions.
"I am asking that you do not rent, lend, or otherwise make your property available to ICE as a staging area for its enforcement operations," the draft letter states. "Make it known to ICE that it is not authorized to use your garages and lots."
The initiative appears to have been prompted by reports that a Bronx garage, used by Target, was utilized by ICE agents involved in a recent shooting of an individual. The property had reportedly been used for ICE operations for months, according to Gothamist. Mamdani's letter reportedly cites at least three other instances of ICE using private lots for similar purposes across the city.
The draft letter, which was being circulated among local lawmakers for support, suggests that such arrangements provide ICE with a base for operations that can be disruptive and distressing to local communities. It warns that allowing ICE to use private property could place the businesses, their employees, and their customers at risk.
Mamdani's appeal extends existing city sanctuary policies, which typically apply to city-owned property, to the private sector. The letter aims to leverage the operational necessities of ICE against the community-focused services provided by these private businesses.
"These laws govern City property, not the private lots and garages that you operate. That is why we need your help," the draft reads. Mamdani frames the request as an act of "solidarity with immigrant New Yorkers and our shared commitment to the city we love," calling it a "critical juncture for our city."
The effort comes amid pressure on Mamdani from progressive groups, including the Democratic Socialists of America, following the ICE shooting incident. These groups have also called for the dismissal of Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, though Mamdani has defended her. The shooting involved an individual who was in federal custody and later wounded while attempting to evade ICE agents. His young son was present in the vehicle but unharmed.