Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin delivered a blistering response on October 9, 2026, to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s demand to abolish ICE following a shooting involving a criminal illegal alien. “We arrest thousands, weekly, that are criminals and he turns a blind eye to it and won’t even stand up for his own NYPD officers, that by the way, protect him every single day,” Mullin declared. He rejected Mamdani’s description of the suspect as a New Yorker and pushed back hard against claims that ICE is “rotten to the core.” “When men and women at ICE each day are enforcing the laws that he refuses to enforce,” Mullin said, questioning who would remove murderers, thieves, and gang members if the agency disappeared. The secretary emphasized that ICE officers continue targeting the worst offenders while local leaders block cooperation.

According to DHS, the man shot was an illegal alien from the Dominican Republic with a grand larceny conviction plus prior arrests for assault, robbery, drugs, and weapons possession, along with alleged ties to the Trinitarios gang. Mamdani had pressed for the individual’s release after the incident. Mullin made clear there would be no pause in enforcement and no apology for agents doing their jobs. The exchange highlighted the sharp divide between federal immigration priorities and sanctuary-city policies in New York. Mullin’s unfiltered defense of ICE agents underscored the administration’s stance that criminal aliens will continue to face arrest and removal regardless of local opposition. The confrontation has intensified the national debate over who is responsible for public safety when local officials refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement.