Mullin blasts Mamdani over ICE shooting response and accuses him of inciting hostility
"His words are dangerous and incite hostility" -- Markwayne Mullin is holding a news conference right now to attack Mayor Mamdani in the wake of an ICE shooting in NYC https://t.co/OcR7JvlX5R
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 9, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin blasted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, accusing him of inciting hostility with his response to a city shooting that involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On Thursday, October 8, an ICE officer shot and wounded a 28-year-old Dominican national, Oscar Belgal, during an enforcement arrest operation in the Marble Hill neighborhood of New York City.
Belgal was shot in the neck while driving with a 5-year-old child in the car. He was taken to an area hospital for treatment while the child was unharmed and with a family member. Notably, Belgal has a criminal record.
Markwayne Mullin accuses Zohran Mamdani of inciting hostility
Mullin bashed the NYC mayor on Friday, calling his public statement about the shooting “dangerous” and accusing him of performing “political theater.”
“I am speaking facts; the mayor speaks with political tone,” Mullin said at a press conference on Friday. “His words are dangerous and incite hostility; it doesn’t help.”
Mullin thrashed Mamdani for calling Belgal a New Yorker and criticized the mayor’s remark about the enforcement, saying it “is rotten to the core.”
Mamdani has also called for the abolition of ICE. He wrote on X: "ICE makes this city less safe. We want them out. Now."
“Really? The men and women of ICE each day are enforcing the laws that he refuses to enforce,” Mullin said. “We arrest thousands weekly that are criminals, going after the worst of the worst, and he turns a blind eye to it.”
DHS says Oscar Belgal evaded ICE before
As Mullin lashed out at Mamdani for calling Belgal a New Yorker, he revealed that ICE has been searching for the immigrant and that he had evaded ICE earlier.
I am angry tonight. Because today ICE shot a New Yorker. They shot a New Yorker while his five year old child was in the car. ICE makes this city less safe. We want them out. Now. https://t.co/ZizKB0OP7S
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) October 9, 2026
Mullin said ICE was not aware that the child was in the car during the encounter and that the officers involved will be put on administrative leave while DHS investigates the situation.
Mullin underscored that while ICE didn't know about the child, Belgal knew and had accelerated the car to a “high speed” despite that.
He also said that instead of blaming ICE, the public should blame Belgal.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Belgal pleaded guilty to grand larceny. She further confirmed that a criminal sale of d***s case involving Belgal has been taken over by federal authorities.
Calls with Trump fail to free Belgal
After the shooting, Zohran Mamdani lashed out at ICE and said that there was no explanation for the tactics used. The mayor said that he spoke with President Trump and Mullin on Thursday night in an attempt to get Belgal released but was unsuccessful.
However, Mullin said that Trump had agreed to hand over the Belgal case to the NYPD if they agreed to pursue the probe against the accused, but Mamdani refused.
Mamdani called for ICE to release body-camera footage of the incident. The NYPD on Friday released body-camera footage from its own officers showing the aftermath.
