As ICE surges into major cities, NYC’s mayor, Mamdani, just took a stand that could haunt him

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly declared his full support for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), placing him among the most outspoken major city leaders on immigration policy. As detailed by The Hill, the comments come as the Trump administration continues to escalate immigration enforcement nationwide.

The announcement arrives amid a broader federal push under President Donald Trump to expand ICE operations in large metropolitan areas. That context has heightened the political stakes of Mamdani’s position, particularly as enforcement activity increases in Democratic-led cities.

Mamdani outlined his stance, arguing that the agency has fundamentally abandoned its mission. He said he now views ICE as “an entity that has no interest in fulfilling its stated reason to exist,” framing the issue as a systemic failure rather than a policy disagreement.

The mayor says ICE has crossed a line

Mamdani accused ICE of inflicting widespread harm, saying it is “terrorizing people no matter their immigration status, no matter the facts of the law, no matter the facts of the case.” He added that he is “tired of waking up every day and seeing a new image of someone being dragged out of a car, dragged out of their home, dragged out of their life,” arguing that immigration enforcement should be guided by humanity rather than fear, a tone also noted in broader political reporting like the “Kremlin invitation from Trump” discussion.

His remarks follow recent deployments of ICE and Customs and Border Protection personnel to cities including New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Those operations have drawn protests and criticism from lawmakers, particularly after a fatal shooting in Minneapolis earlier this month in which an ICE officer killed Renee Good, a development occurring alongside widespread political discourse seen in pieces such as Josh Shapiro’s new memoir, exposing what Trump told him.

The issue has also affected City Hall directly. Mamdani said he was “outraged” after federal officers detained a New York City Council employee. City Council Speaker Julie Menin confirmed the employee was taken into custody during a routine immigration appointment on Long Island despite having legal authorization to remain in the country. Menin described the detention as an “apparent overreach” and called for swift and transparent federal action to secure the employee’s release.

Beyond rhetoric, Mamdani has encouraged residents to understand their legal rights during encounters with federal immigration officers. In a video released after his election, he advised migrants that if ICE does not have a judicial warrant signed by a judge, they are not required to open their doors and can clearly state, “I do not consent to entry.”

Public opinion on abolishing ICE remains divided. A recent poll found that 46 percent of respondents support eliminating the agency, while 43 percent oppose the move. Mamdani is not alone among Democrats in pushing for ICE’s closure. Figures such as Senator Ruben Gallego and Representative Shri Thanedar back similar proposals, though others, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, reject the idea, underscoring ongoing internal divisions.