Officials from the Trump administration announced on Friday that an ICE agent who forcefully tackled an immigrant in a Manhattan federal court has faced disciplinary action. This came as mayoral contender Zohran Mamdani pledged to address such “horrors.”
A viral video captured the distressing moment when an Ecuadorian woman confronted an ICE officer at 26 Federal Plaza following her husband’s arrest.
In a bid to plead for assistance from the immigration officer, she was violently pushed to the ground, sparking outrage from progressives and leading to a reprimand from the Trump administration.
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, stated, “The actions of the officer in the footage are unacceptable and beneath the standards upheld by ICE personnel.”
“Our ICE law enforcement members are expected to maintain the highest professional standards, and this officer is being suspended from duty while we conduct a thorough investigation,” McLaughlin added.
This announcement coincided with Mamdani’s press conference, where he condemned the incident and the ongoing controversial arrests of immigrants at asylum hearings in the courtroom. He also criticized the silence of his political rivals, Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams, regarding the ICE sweeps in New York City.
Mamdani, who hails from Uganda and would become New York City’s first immigrant mayor in over a century, expressed relief at the news of the ICE agent’s suspension.
“However, what truly disturbs us isn’t just this incident but the fact that such acts happen daily across the nation, often unnoticed and unapologetically cruel,” he remarked.
His comments followed a tragic shooting in Texas where an assailant, reportedly targeting ICE agents, killed one immigrant and injured two others—a situation that sparked Republican condemnation of what they perceive as the Democratic party’s rhetoric inciting violence against immigration personnel. Trump blamed the rhetoric for inflaming violence.
Mamdani also criticized Adams for his failure to speak out. “A fundamental duty of leadership involves clarifying to New Yorkers what you consider acceptable conduct from the federal government. Yet, in the face of this horror, our current mayor has entirely neglected that role. This position wields considerable influence and responsibility.”
Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for Adams’ campaign, stated that the mayor appreciates the focus on the issues surrounding immigration court, particularly the “disturbing video of a woman being slammed to the ground.”
However, he contended that Mamdani, as a state lawmaker, has not done much beyond mere rhetoric to assist immigrants. “In contrast, our mayor has taken substantial steps to support immigrants—expanding resources, reducing crime, and safeguarding all New Yorkers,” Shapiro said. “Mamdani’s record is filled with talk but lacks tangible results.”
Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, highlighted the former governor’s commitment. “Unlike Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo has consistently condemned the abuse of ICE and has taken decisive action, including signing executive orders that limit New York’s cooperation with ICE on non-criminal matters and protecting the state’s driver’s license database,” Azzopardi asserted.
City Comptroller Brad Lander, an ally of Mamdani who has previously been arrested protesting these detentions, along with Rep. Dan Goldman (D-Brooklyn), has called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to consider felony charges against the ICE agent involved in the incident.
Mamdani stated that the officer should face legal consequences if laws were breached. “The law should be applied equally to everyone. We cannot create a separate standard for those tasked with enforcing these laws,” he insisted.
— With Post wires
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