U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will continue its operations in New York despite the recent shooting of a man in the Bronx, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced on Friday.
Mullin made the statement during a press conference at ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he addressed growing criticism over the incident. Two plainclothes ICE agents shot Oscar Belgal, 28, in the neck as his vehicle backed into a parking spot in the Marble Hill neighborhood on Thursday afternoon. A five-year-old child was present in the car at the time.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul had urgently requested that both Mullin and President Donald Trump immediately suspend ICE activities within the state. Mayor Zohran Mamdani also issued strong rebukes of the agency’s actions.
“We’re not putting a pause on enforcement,” Mullin stated firmly. “I’m not sorry. Our job is to enforce the nation’s laws and go after the worst of the worst, and our men and women do a dang good job at it every single day, and we will not stop doing our job.”
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch provided details regarding the shooting during a separate press conference on Thursday evening.
This feels like political posturing over public safety. New Yorkers deserve better protection, not more aggression.
Wait, is the president really Trump again? I might be mixing up timelines here.
Defying a governor during an active crisis seems reckless. Where is the accountability for plainclothes agents now?
Mullin’s rhetoric is harsh, but illegal immigration does strain local resources. Someone needs to address the root causes.
A child was in the car during this shooting. How can anyone sleep at night knowing this happened?