Mamdani Warns ICE of Lawsuit Over NYC Parking Lot Use
The mayor calls the federal agency’s operations on city property unauthorized and illegal, citing recent clashes with local sanctuary laws.
By Noor Morgan ·
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sent a formal letter to the Trump administration on November 1, warning that the city will sue Immigration and Customs Enforcement if its officers continue using municipal parking lots.
The mayor argued that the agency is occupying land owned by the city without permission. He described this use of property as unauthorized and illegal. The letter stated that these actions endanger residents and create fear among people who need to access city property.
Mamdani told the administration that New York City will take legal steps to stop what he called the unlawful commandeering of city assets. He specifically asked the Department of Homeland Security to issue immediate guidance. This guidance must prohibit ICE agents from using New York City parking lots to stage or run operations.
The conflict follows a recent legal victory for the city. In July 2025, the Trump administration lost a lawsuit challenging New York’s sanctuary laws. That status dates back to 1989, during the administration of Mayor Ed Koch.
Tensions have risen due to a recent incident involving Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old man. Belgal was shot by an ICE officer while picking up his five-year-old child from school. Lawyers for Belgal said the officer was in plain clothes and did not identify himself. The agent reportedly ran to Belgal's car, smashed the windows, and fired several shots.
In response to the incident, the Mamdani administration called for the abolition of ICE. More than 100 elected officials in New York joined the mayor in urging private garage owners to ban ICE from their properties. Mamdani wrote to over 1,000 parking garage owners on October 15, asking them not to rent or lend their property to the agency.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson responded to the mayor's letter by telling the New York Times that ICE’s presence in public lots is fully authorized under federal law. The spokesperson called it a standard practice for law enforcement nationwide and said Mayor Mamdani should be grateful to officers for cleaning up the streets.
Source: The Guardian
