Mamdani renews calls to abolish ICE after Bronx shooting near child
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sharpens his criticism of ICE after federal agents shot 28-year-old man during arrest in Marble Hill, with man's five-year-old son in vehicle
NEW YORK (MNTV) – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has renewed his calls to abolish US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a shooting in the Bronx neighbourhood of Marble Hill that left a 28-year-old man injured and raised serious concerns about the safety of children and bystanders during federal immigration operations.
The shooting occurred Thursday as ICE agents tried to arrest Oscar Belgal, who was reportedly attempting to flee in a vehicle with his five-year-old son in the back seat. Belgal suffered a neck injury; the child was unharmed.
The incident has sparked public outrage and conflicting accounts of what led agents to open fire.
On Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the government would release body-camera footage of the shooting.
He described Belgal as a Dominican national with alleged ties to the Trinitarios gang and cited a criminal record including robbery, assault and weapons charges to defend the agents’ actions. Mullin claimed Belgal drove recklessly toward an officer during the attempted escape and blamed him for exposing his young son to danger.
Mamdani sharply criticised ICE, accusing the agency of endangering families and the public while deflecting responsibility for its own conduct.
The mayor said he had unsuccessfully sought Belgal’s release from federal custody after the shooting.
“We’re talking about a federal agency that is ripping families apart, that is willing to endanger the lives of a five-year-old child, as well as any New Yorkers in the surrounding area,” Mamdani said, faulting officials for blaming the injured man and the city rather than examining the agents’ conduct.
The remarks have intensified scrutiny of ICE’s tactics, particularly when operations unfold around children and in densely populated neighbourhoods.
Although federal officials have cited Belgal’s alleged criminal history to defend the response, those allegations do not resolve questions about whether the use of force was necessary or proportionate.
The planned release of body-camera footage could provide further evidence about the confrontation and the decisions that led to the shooting.
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