NYC Mayor Slams ICE as 'Rogue Agency' After Manhattan Shooting

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has accused U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of operating as a "rogue federal agency" and treating the law as "merely a suggestion." His remarks came days after a federal immigration officer fired seven shots at a man, identified as 28-year-old Oscar Belgal, in Manhattan while Belgal's 5-year-old son was present in the vehicle.

Mamdani, speaking in an interview on Sunday, stated that ICE agents repeatedly disregard the law. "We follow the law in New York City and I know that to the secretary, the law is merely a suggestion when it comes to the actions of these ICE agents," Mamdani said. "They are making a mockery of what law and order is."

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pushed back against Mamdani's accusations, defending ICE and criticizing the mayor's rhetoric. "ICE enforces the law as written. What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether or not they are illegally in the U.S. — full stop," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "Mayor Mamdani should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these dangerous criminals from his city — NOT vilifying law enforcement."

The DHS statement continued, "Attacks and demonization of ICE law enforcement is wrong. Because of smears like this our ICE officers are now facing a 1,600% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists."

Mamdani argued that ICE's operations make New Yorkers less safe and called for the agency's elimination. "What we see from their actions is an agency that terrorizes, one that creates a sense of fear as opposed to any idea of safety. And I made it very clear that the longer that ICE agents were engaging in their operations in the city, the less safe this city was becoming," Mamdani said.

The shooting occurred Thursday afternoon in the Marble Hill neighborhood. ICE agents attempted to apprehend Belgal, a Dominican national whom DHS said had a prior grand larceny conviction and previous arrests involving assault, robbery, drugs, and weapons. The NYPD reported that at least one federal immigration officer fired seven rounds, striking Belgal. His son was unharmed.

Mamdani stated he spoke with then-President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin for nearly two hours Thursday evening in an attempt to secure Belgal's release. He expressed frustration with the secretary's assessment of the shooting, noting that Mullin "did not think that ICE agents had done anything wrong."

"I am demanding that ICE cease their operations in our city immediately, because these operations make New Yorkers less safe. They leave New Yorkers in a state of terror," Mamdani added.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken temporarily blocked Belgal's deportation while his challenge to federal detention remains pending. The judge also restricted his transfer outside specified federal judicial districts without prior court approval.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin had previously criticized Mamdani's anti-ICE rhetoric, accusing the mayor of inciting hostility toward federal immigration officers. "His words are dangerous and incite hostility. It doesn't help," Mullin said. "He said that ICE is rotten to the core. Really? Men and women at ICE each day are enforcing the laws that he refuses to enforce. He said he wants to abolish ICE. Well, Mayor, if you abolish ICE, who's going to take the criminals off the streets of your own town?"

DHS stated that nearly 7,000 criminal illegal immigrants had been released from New York jurisdictions under sanctuary policies.