Mullin calls Mamdani's anti-ICE rhetoric 'dangerous' following New York shooting

Department of Homeland Security Press Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Friday pushed back on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani who had lambasted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the agency opened fire and shot an individual in the city. 

Mamdani said on Thursday that ICE has "killed far more of our neighbors than they could ever have claimed to save," and reiterated his call to abolish the agency.

"His words are dangerous and incite hostility," Mullin said during a Friday press conference. "Well mayor, if you abolish ICE, who's going to take criminals off the streets of your own town?"

MAMDANI DEMANDS TRUMP RELEASE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SHOT BY ICE AGENT AS PROTESTS ERUPT IN THE BRONX

 New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference at the site where a man was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during an operation in the Bronx, on October 8, 2026, in New York City. (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)

Oscar Belgal, the individual shot by ICE on Thursday, refused to get out of his vehicle and ran into two government vehicles, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Executive Associate Director Marcos Charles said during the press conference on Friday.

The man "refused lawful orders to exit his vehicle," Charles said. "He then accelerated his vehicle, smashing into two of our government ICE vehicles and then weaponized his vehicle and proceeded to accelerate going towards other officers," he said.

Mullin explained that authorities were not aware there was a child in the vehicle at the time of the incident, but pointed out that "Oscar knew he had a child in his car."

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin (C) speaks during a press conference at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters on October 09, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Mullin said that Belgal, who is from the Dominican Republic, entered the U.S. illegally and has since perpetrated "crime after crime."

The man "evaded law enforcement before when we attempted to arrest him in September," Charles noted.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated