DHS rejects calls to pause New York ICE operations after agent shoots man in car

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed ICE will not suspend operations in New York following the shooting of a man by federal agents in Marble Hill.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated Friday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will not pause activities in New York despite requests from Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The refusal follows an incident on Thursday in the Bronx neighborhood of Marble Hill, where ICE agents shot 28-year-old Oscar Bergal while his five-year-old son was in the vehicle. Mullin defended the officers, stating they were enforcing the law against "the worst of the worst."

According to ICE official Marcos Charles, agents used vehicles to block Bergal's car to execute a warrant. Charles reported that Bergal refused to exit and instead "weaponized" his vehicle by accelerating into ICE cars and toward officers. Agents then opened fire, striking Bergal in the neck. While DHS officials claimed they provided first aid, NBC News noted that NYPD body-camera footage shows city police officers transported Bergal to the hospital.

The shooting has sparked significant local pushback. Mayor Mamdani described the agents' use of construction vests and masks as "unconscionable," arguing there was no way to identify them as federal law enforcement. Attorney Paige Austin told a judge on Friday that Bergal still has a bullet in his body. While DHS claimed agents identified themselves and wore active body cameras, the footage has not been released to the public. Outlets vary on the spelling of the man's surname, with some reporting it as Bergal and others as Belgal.

Federal officials identified Bergal as an undocumented migrant from the Dominican Republic with a criminal history, including a conviction for grand larceny. Al Jazeera reported that the arrest was part of an investigation into a gang-related shooting of a Customs and Border Protection officer. Protests broke out in the Bronx following the incident, leading to five arrests by the NYPD on Thursday night.

Background

Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for a halt to ICE operations in New York following the shooting. Federal officials used a Friday news conference to criticize sanctuary-city policies that limit local cooperation with immigration authorities.