A shooting incident in the Marble Hill neighborhood of Manhattan sparked condemnation from leading New York Democrats and renewed calls to restrict Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the state.
Federal authorities shot Oscar Belgal, identified as an undocumented immigrant from the Dominican Republic, on Thursday afternoon as he sat in a vehicle with his five-year-old son present. According to ICE official Marcos Charles, Belgal refused to exit his vehicle when approached by federal officers attempting his arrest and subsequently accelerated, struck two ICE vehicles, and drove toward other officers, prompting an officer to fire. Charles characterized the resulting wound as “superficial.” However, Belgal’s attorneys reported that he sustained a bullet wound to the neck and remained unable to communicate with family members, with medical personnel indicating a bullet remained lodged in his body following the incident.
Governor Kathy Hochul, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, all Democrats, issued strong criticism of the agency’s actions. Mamdani described the incident as “unconscionable” and stated that ICE had “whisked” Belgal away from New York-Presbyterian Allen hospital. Both Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez called for ICE to be abolished entirely. Mamdani indicated he had spoken with President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin by phone Thursday evening to negotiate Belgal’s release, though he reported those negotiations were unsuccessful. He further demanded that ICE cease enforcement operations in New York City.
A federal judge issued an order early Friday morning requiring ICE to maintain Belgal in the New York area following emergency motions filed by his attorneys, though Justice Department officials indicated they would likely argue the order was rendered moot by Belgal’s prior transfer to a facility in New Jersey. Belgal was subsequently booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. The incident drew local residents and protesters to the scene, with some expressing views that ICE had no legitimate role operating within New York City.
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