The mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, has demanded that the U.S. president, Donald Trump, put an end to the operations of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the city, after a federal agent shot and wounded a man in the Marble Hill neighborhood, in the Bronx. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon during a migration operation.
According to the statement released by the Mayor's Office, the agents surrounded the vehicle in which the man was with a five-year-old child before opening fire. The minor did not suffer physical injuries, while the adult was taken to receive medical attention.
Mamdani announced that he had called Trump to demand the cessation of the agency's actions in New York. Later, in a public appearance, he reiterated his request and demanded that ICE leave the neighborhoods, hospitals, and streets of the city.
The mayor tried to negotiate with Trump for the release of the wounded
The mayor explained that he had phone conversations with the president and with Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to try to secure the release of the wounded man. The efforts were unsuccessful and, as Mamdani recounted, the affected individual remained in federal custody at the close of the night.
The New York Police indicated that their agents did not participate in the operation. Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that a federal agent fired seven times during the incident. The specific circumstances of the use of force will need to be clarified in the investigation.
The Department of Homeland Security defended that the operation aimed to arrest a 28-year-old Dominican citizen whom they attribute criminal records, including a conviction for grand theft. This version comes from federal authorities and does not alone resolve the doubts about how the shooting unfolded.
The event prompted a gathering of protesters near the site of the gunfire and the hospital where the wounded was treated. During his appearance, Mamdani described what happened as "unacceptable and incredibly serious" and reiterated his support for the abolition of the federal agency.
The mayor argues that ICE operations generate fear among residents and has made their withdrawal a demand directed straight at the Trump Administration. The request opens a new front between the federal government and the authorities of a city that limits its collaboration with federal immigration policies.
A new clash between the city and federal immigration policy
New York maintains its status as a sanctuary city, a model in which local authorities restrict certain forms of cooperation with federal immigration actions. This policy has been criticized by the Trump Administration, which has advocated for a tightening of deportations and immigration controls.
The Marble Hill shooting has brought that disagreement into the realm of public safety. Mamdani demands that ICE operations cease in the city, while the federal government defends the intervention as part of an action aimed at apprehending a person with a criminal record. The investigation will have to determine the circumstances of the use of weapons and clarify the details that have not yet been publicly established.