NY Mayor Advises Residents on Resisting ICE in Spanish Video
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a Spanish-language video instructing residents on how to respond to ICE encounters.
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a Spanish-language video Friday, instructing residents on how to respond to encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The video outlines steps for residents to refuse ICE agents entry into private spaces, remain silent during questioning, and access taxpayer-funded immigration legal services.
Instructions on Resisting ICE
Mamdani’s guidance includes advice on how to respond if ICE agents attempt to enter a private space, such as a home, church, hospital, or private area of a workplace. He advises viewers to look for the words “United States District Court” and a judge’s signature on a warrant, and to ask agents to slide the document under the door. If they don’t have a judicial order, viewers should leave the door closed and say, “I do not consent to your entry.”
He also urges viewers to remain silent if stopped by ICE on the street and to ask, “Am I free to go?” If an agent says yes, viewers should walk away calmly. Mamdani emphasizes the importance of consulting a lawyer before signing documents or making decisions about immigration cases.
Legal Support and Criticism
The mayor directs viewers to New York City’s immigration legal support line, 1-800-354-0365, which is free, confidential, and available in multiple languages. He also mentions that viewers can call 311 and say “immigration legal” to access the service.
Mamdani closes the video by invoking the right to protest and pledging to protect it, stating, “These are very frightening times for many people. But as your mayor, I will fight every day to protect, support, and celebrate our communities.”
Republican lawmakers have condemned the video, arguing that it emphasizes resistance to immigration enforcement without encouraging compliance with federal law. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) criticized the video for not urging anyone to abide by U.S. laws, while Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) accused Mamdani of using taxpayer resources to instruct undocumented individuals on how to evade accountability.
Background on ICE Tensions
The video comes amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement in New York City, following an incident in which an ICE officer shot Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old Dominican national, in the neck during an attempted detention in Manhattan. Mamdani condemned the shooting and called for ICE to halt its operations in the city.
Mamdani has consistently called for the abolition of ICE and has pledged to defend New York’s sanctuary-city policies, which limit the circumstances in which local authorities cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. He has also urged parking garage operators to prevent ICE from using their properties as staging areas.
Source: Daily Wire
