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Feds blame NYC's sanctuary policies for violent ICE arrest in Marble Hill
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Oct 9, 2026
Modified Oct 9, 2026
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Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Oct 9, 2026
Modified Oct 9, 2026
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Department of Homeland Security officials on Friday said federal immigration agents were justified in using deadly force during the arrest of an immigrant in New York City's Marble Hill neighborhood on Thursday, alleging the man “weaponized his vehicle” against agents trying to take him into custody.
Marcos Charles, a top U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official, also said Oscar Belgal, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic who was shot and injured by agents in the chaotic encounter in the bustling neighborhood Thursday afternoon, has been placed in an out-of-state detention center. Charles, the executive associate director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations wing, provided no further detail, including on the extent of Belgal’s injuries.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin told reporters in Washington, D.C. on Friday morning that the ICE officers involved in the arrest were unaware that a child was in Belgal's vehicle. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the 5-year-old boy, believed to be Belgal’s son, was uninjured and placed under a family member's care.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other city leaders condemned the ICE action and renewed calls for the federal government to end immigration enforcement efforts in the city. ICE, the mayor said, “has killed more of our neighbors than they claim to save."
Mullin blamed the violence on the city’s sanctuary policies and chided Mamdani for his remarks.
“His words are dangerous and incite hostility,” Mullin said.
Mullin confirmed that he had spoken with Mamdani several times, and that President Donald Trump had also been involved in the discussions. Trump said he’d release Belgal into the NYPD's custody, but Mamdani refused that offer, according to Mullin. There was no immediate comment from the mayor’s office on that matter.
Make the Road New York, the local branch of a national immigration advocacy group, said its lawyers have filed an emergency habeas petition on Belgal's behalf, advocating for his release. A hearing in his case was scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Charles said the ICE agents used their vehicles to block Belgal's vehicle. He added that Belgal refused orders to exit his vehicle, and then accelerated, smashing into two ICE vehicles before proceeding to accelerate toward other officers.
“Because of his escalation, we had to use force,” Mullin said.
ICE agents have been criticized in the past for shooting at moving vehicles, including in the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. Policing experts generally suggest officers refrain from shooting at moving vehicles, and most major police departments, including the NYPD, ban the practice. The U.S. Department of Justice has also warned against the practice.
Federal immigration officers previously attempted to arrest Belgal in September, but he “evaded” arrest, Charles said. Belgal became an ICE target because officers believed he had “direct or indirect” knowledge of a recent shooting of a federal Customs and Border Protection officer, Mullin said.
The ICE agents present during the shooting were wearing body-worn cameras that were turned on, Mullin said. He did not say if or when the footage would be released.
Mullin said the ICE agent or agents involved in the shooting would be placed on administrative leave while the agency conducts an investigation, as is customary any time a weapon is discharged. He did not specify how many agents would be placed on leave.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Tagged
Race And Justice Unit
immigration and customs enforcement
new york city
Arya Sundaram
Arya is a reporter covering race and justice. Got a tip? Email: [email protected] or reach Arya on Signal at 512-650-8767.
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