Zohran Mamdani slams ICE raids following Minneapolis shooting: 'Cruel and inhumane'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Newly sworn-in Mayor Zohran Mamdani commented on the killing of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis Wednesday, January 7.

The fatal shooting of a 37-year-old woman Wednesday in Minneapolis, identified by her mother as Renee Nicole Good, has sparked outrage locally and across the nation, especially among politicians.

Mamdani has pledged to protect immigrants by funding legal defense and supporting sanctuary-style policies, offering immigrant communities much-needed representation and security.

Zohran Mamdani calls out ICE action in Minneapolis

Addressing the situation, Mamdani was asked by a reporter to comment on Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey's remarks that "ICE should get the F**k out of Minneapolis." The reporter further asked, "Do you have the same attitude in New York? And do you have any idea whether President Trump plans to surge ICE agents here?" 

She also inquired, "And even if he doesn't, how to protect New Yorkers?" In response, Mamdani said, "No, I can't speak to what the President will do. I can tell you, however, what I've also said to him directly, which is that I believe that these raids are cruel and inhumane."

He further condemned the impact of ICE on the public, saying "they do nothing to actually serve the interests of public safety."

Mamdani emphasized, "And what New Yorkers want to see is a city that they are safe in, a city that they can also feel comfortable leaving their home in."

On the city’s stance toward immigrant policies, he stated, "And so we will continue to make clear that this is a city that stands up for immigrants and also this is a city that will follow its laws of sanctuary city policies, precisely because these are laws that keep New Yorkers safe." 

He concluded by noting, "And prior to this moment in time, these were laws that were defended by people of both parties because of what they were seeing as actually delivering."

Zohran Mamdani vows to protect immigrants from ICE

In June, Mamdani referred to ICE as 'a rogue agency, one that has no interest in laws, no interest in order,' in an interview with former MSNBC and Al Jazeera host Mehdi Hasan. He also promised to block ICE agents from carrying out removals after winning the Democratic primary.

Mamdani previously shared a video on social media on Sunday outlining immigrants’ rights to decline interaction or compliance with ICE agents, following a federal raid in Manhattan.

In the video, Mamdani pledged to protect the city’s three million immigrants, stating, “We can all stand up to ICE if you know your rights.” He clarified that people in the US have the right to refuse to speak to federal immigration agents, record them without interference, and deny their requests to enter private spaces.

ICE agents cannot enter spaces like a home, school or private area of a workplace without a judicial warrant signed by a judge, Mamdani said.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday that any death is a tragedy but defended the ICE officer’s actions as justified. DHS officials allege that Good attempted to mow down the federal officer, with Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller and Noem, the Homeland Security Secretary, calling it 'domestic terrorism.' 

“An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots,” a statement by DHS read.