Zohran Mamdani attacks ICE, calling it a "dishonest agency."

Key Takeaways

• Zohran Mamdani, identified in reports as mayor of New York, publicly attacked ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and said the agency should be abolished.
• Mamdani said he raised his concerns with President Donald Trump in private and public conversations; it has been reported that he warned of ICE’s alleged abuse of power.
• The remarks coincide with planned nationwide demonstrations under the “No Kings” banner and ongoing local resistance to federal immigration enforcement.
• Legally, a city cannot abolish a federal agency — Congress would need to act — but municipal policies can limit local cooperation with ICE and protect immigrant access to services.
• For immigrants, the rhetoric underscores heightened fear in multilingual communities and the continued importance of legal counsel and knowing one’s rights during ICE encounters.

What Mamdani said

Zohran Mamdani used a news conference to denounce ICE, calling the agency “dishonest” and saying it operates with impunity when arresting people without legal status. He accused agents of abusing power during enforcement actions and said that because of those practices ICE “should be abolished.” It has been reported that Mamdani also told President Donald Trump — in both private and public settings, he said — that the agency’s behavior makes many New Yorkers fearful of routine stops and interactions. Mamdani urged participation in planned “No Kings” demonstrations as a way to show public rejection of current federal immigration enforcement.

Legal and policy context

ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is a federal law‑enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that handles immigration arrests, detention, and removals. Mayors and city councils cannot unilaterally abolish a federal agency; that would require action by Congress or the executive branch. Municipalities can, however, adopt sanctuary policies that limit local cooperation with ICE (for example, restricting honor‑system transfers or declines to comply with certain detainer requests), and they can litigate or lobby against federal enforcement practices. It has been reported that the debate over ICE comes alongside other flashpoints — including claims that ICE entered shelters without warrants and federal threats to withhold funds from sanctuary jurisdictions.

Human impact and practical implications

For immigrants — particularly those without lawful status — Mamdani’s comments reflect a broader atmosphere of fear that can affect access to medical care, education, law enforcement reporting, and public benefits. Even as political leaders denounce or defend ICE, the operational reality remains that ICE agents can arrest people under federal authority. What this means practically: keep informed about your legal case, seek counsel from accredited immigration attorneys or trusted legal aid groups, and know basic rights during an encounter with immigration officers (for example, asking to see a warrant before allowing officers into a home). Policy fights at the city and federal level may change cooperation rules or funding, but they rarely eliminate the day‑to‑day risk that drives people to avoid public life.

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