Thousands Protest in NYC, Demand Abolition of ICE After Migrant Shooting

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of lower Manhattan on Friday, calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the dismissal of NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. The demonstrations followed a day after federal agents shot Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old migrant, in the Bronx.

Estimates placed the number of demonstrators at around 5,000, who marched through the city chanting slogans such as "Abolish ICE," "ICE out of New York," and "Stop the deportations." Among the attendees were activist Chelsea Manning and city advocate Jumaane Williams.

Belgal, a native of the Dominican Republic, was shot in his vehicle in Marble Hill, the Bronx, as ICE agents attempted to apprehend him. Authorities suspect Belgal has ties to the Trinitarios gang, which has been active in New York City for decades. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that at least seven rounds were fired by an ICE agent, emphasizing that the NYPD was not involved in the federal operation prior to the shooting. A 5-year-old child, believed to be Belgal's son, was present in the vehicle but was unharmed.

Protesters voiced anger over the incident, with one demonstrator, who declined to give her last name, stating, "They are ripping people from their families, shooting people in front of their children, and no one is doing anything about it." Chants demanding Tisch's firing were also heard throughout the protest.

Murad Awawdeh, CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, addressed the crowd at Foley Square, saying, "Yesterday, a New Yorker was shot in the head in front of his five-year-old child." Kyle Ishmael, chair of the Manhattan Democratic Party, stated his participation in the march, emphasizing the city's immigrant identity and condemning the shooting, particularly with a child present.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani had previously criticized the shooting, referring to Belgal as "a New Yorker." However, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin challenged this description, questioning Belgal's status as a New Yorker and highlighting his alleged affiliations with the Trinitarios gang. The Trinitarios gang originated in the 1990s among inmates at Rikers Island and has since grown into a transnational criminal organization.

Records indicate that Belgal had prior arrests in New York City, including one for robbery in 2023, for which he received probation, and another for criminal sale of a controlled substance in 2025, which is reportedly still pending. Federal officials confirmed that Belgal was subject to a detainer and was on probation at the time of the incident.