Zohran Mamdani Stands By Calling ICE Shooting ‘Murder’ | EUROtoday

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani denounced the “horrific” disaster taking part in out in Minnesota whereas vowing to do “everything in my power” to make sure New York City is just not the goal of comparable immigration crackdowns by President Donald Trump’s administration.

During an interview on Sunday’s episode of “This Week” that was carried out earlier than Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti was killed by U.S. Border Patrol brokers, Mamdani accused the White House of gaslighting Americans about why an immigration enforcement officer fatally shot one other individual earlier this month.

Federal officers have accused that sufferer, Renée Good, of making an attempt to ram Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers together with her automobile in an act of home terrorism, regardless of in depth video proof and witness accounts showing to point out Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel had been in no imminent hazard.

“I think that there are too many Americans who are being asked to not believe their own eyes, not believe their own ears, not believe their own realities,” Mamdani instructed ABC’s Jonathan Karl. “And people want to hear the truth.”

“They want to see the truth. And that’s why I described that as a murder because there’s no other way to watch that video and come to a different conclusion.”

Asked if he apprehensive Trump would provoke the identical sort of deportation operations in New York, Mamdani promised to do no matter it takes to guard his residents.

“We know that the fear that so many are living with in Minneapolis, it’s a fear that New Yorkers are also living with, a fear of being terrorized,” he mentioned. “And I will do everything in my power to ensure that we do not see that take place in New York City.”

Pressed for specifics as to how he’d defend New Yorkers, the mayor mentioned, “Whether those tools are the utilization of the courts or it’s the tools of the bully pulpit or it’s the tools of our own city policies, we’re going to exhaust every option to protect New Yorkers.

“We want to do everything in our power now to ensure it never gets to that stage,” Mamdani added. “But our values, our laws, these are not bargaining chips that we will shirk away from at the first sign of a threat. These are things that we will defend.”

During the interview, Karl questioned Mamdani about his calls to abolish ICE, asking how immigration regulation could be enforced with out the division.

“You do it with a little bit of humanity. You know, immigration existed long before ICE. ICE is a modern creation. I’m older than ICE,” he mentioned of the company, which was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, assaults.

Distinguishing ICE from different components of the federal government that oversee immigration regulation, Mamdani instructed Karl, “ICE is an organization that cares little for the rules. It’s an organization that operates with reckless impunity and seems to revel in the flouting of those kinds of rules. And that’s what gives people a real sense of fear.”

While the Department of Homeland Security didn’t reply to HuffPost’s query about whether or not there have been plans to increase immigration enforcement operations in New York, Tricia McLaughlin, the division’s assistant secretary for public affairs, described Mamdani’s feedback as harmful and inaccurate:

“Attacks and demonization of ICE law enforcement is wrong. Because of smears like this our ICE officers are now facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists.

“While Mayor Mamdani, Governor Hochul, and their sanctuary politicians across the state have released nearly 7,000 criminal illegal aliens from their jails into New York communities, ICE law enforcement is arresting criminals and saving countless American lives.

“Mayor Mamdani should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these dangerous criminals from his city—NOT vilifying law enforcement.”