Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated Friday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will not pause its activities in New York following an incident in the Bronx where agents shot and wounded a man inside a car with a five-year-old child. The decision came after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul asked Mullin and President Donald Trump to immediately halt operations in the state. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also issued sharp rebukes against the agency.
Mullin addressed the criticism at a Friday morning press conference, asserting that the department will continue its work. "We're not putting a pause on enforcement," he said. He further clarified, "I'm sorry, we're not. In fact, I'm not sorry." Mullin argued that the agency's role is to enforce national laws and target the most serious offenders, stating that its personnel perform well and will not stop.
The shooting occurred on Thursday afternoon in the Marble Hill neighborhood. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch reported Thursday evening that a man identified as Oscar Belgal, 28, was shot in the neck. According to Tisch, two plainclothes ICE officers approached Belgal's vehicle as it was backing into a parking spot.