Zohran Mamdani says he told Trump ICE raids are 'cruel and inhumane', do nothing for public safety

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani condemned recent ICE raids as “cruel and inhumane.”

His remarks came in the wake of a violent clash in Lower Manhattan between anti-ICE protesters and federal agents that resulted in several arrests.

Mamdani says his responsibility is to be the mayor to each and every person that calls NYC home

Mamdani publicly denounced the federal immigration raids, arguing that they neither advance public safety nor align with his responsibilities as mayor for all city residents.

“When I met the president, I made it very clear that these kinds of raids are cruel and inhumane, that they are raids that do nothing to public safety,” he said. "My responsibility is to be the mayor to each and every person that calls this city their home, and that includes millions of immigrants, of which I’m one.”

His criticism came days after a particularly tense enforcement action in Lower Manhattan, where protesters tried to block federal agents from exiting a garage.

Demonstrators chanted “ICE out of New York,” formed human chains, and some reportedly threw roadside planters at government vehicles.

Law enforcement responded with pepper spray to disperse the crowd. More than a dozen people were arrested. 

Those arrested were part of a broader wave of resistance across the city to what many view as aggressive immigration enforcement.

The confrontation in Lower Manhattan follows a chaotic raid on the city’s Chinatown neighborhood, heightening tensions in immigrant communities that have historically been central to the city’s identity. 

Mamdani and Trump's cordial White House interaction

Mamdani delivered his remarks on Monday, December 1, alongside Senator Bernie Sanders while joining striking Starbucks workers in Brooklyn.

The appearance came just hours after outgoing Mayor Eric Adams announced a $39 million settlement to compensate baristas for lost wages.

Trump met Mamdani at the White House last month, and although the meeting was expected to be tense due to the sharp remarks they had exchanged during the election campaign, it ultimately turned out to be cordial.

The president was asked about deploying ICE agents in New York City and the differences between him and Mamdani on that matter.

Trump said the two spoke about that issue arguably longer than any other topic. "Well, I think we're going to work them out. I think if we have known murderers, and known drug dealers, and some very bad people, we want to get them out," the POTUS said. 

Mamdani also noted he told the president that New York City law enforcement is willing to collaborate with the federal government as long as it stays within the existing parameters.

New York’s “sanctuary city” rules say local law enforcement is only required to collaborate with federal agencies on immigration enforcement when people convicted of violent or serious crimes are involved.