[Video below.] New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Sunday that he would use every available tool to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from appearing at polling locations in the city during the upcoming November midterm elections.

Speaking in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Mamdani was asked how he would respond if federal immigration agents were stationed at voting sites. He replied, “I will do everything in my power to ensure that is not the case. I think it speaks to a vision of this country where democracy is something to be suppressed, as opposed to something to be protected.”

Mamdani argued that the broader use of ICE reflects misplaced priorities at the federal level. “I think that what we are seeing time and time again is an attempt to utilize ICE for all of the other functions of government that Republicans are unable to fund because they don’t want to ensure that these kinds of quality of services continue across the country,” he said.

Asked whether he had directly addressed the matter with President Donald Trump, Mamdani said he had raised his concerns repeatedly. “I’ve said to the president, ICE has nothing to do with elections. I’ve said to him time and time again that ICE is a cruel and inhumane agency, and that here in New York City, we are focused on delivering public safety. I talk about affordability every single day.”

The mayor also pushed back on suggestions that he has developed a uniquely effective approach in dealing with the president, attributing their communication to a shared connection to the city. “To be honest with you, I’m lucky in that I have something that no one else does, which is that I’m from New York City. And New York City holds a very special place for him, as well as for me,” Mamdani said.

He emphasized that their discussions often extend beyond national issues to more localized matters. “We’re both from this same city. And it means that our conversations are not just of the scale that is typical with the president, but also granular about even the things as specific as zoning law changes in Midtown Manhattan.”

Mamdani added that the president’s longstanding ties to New York influence his interest in the city’s future. “I think that speaks to the fact that Donald Trump is not just the president of this country. He’s also someone who’s been a New Yorker for his entire life, and there is an investment in this city doing well.”

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{Matzav.com}