WASHINGTON (VINnews) – Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin ripped into New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday, accusing the Democratic leaders of applying a double standard by condemning an ICE-involved shooting while remaining silent after an NYPD officer was stabbed seven times by two immigrants in the country illegally.

“NYPD officers are some of the finest officers we have out there,” Mullin said. “Just last week, one was stabbed seven times by illegals. One that we had a detainer on that New York released. Both had extensive criminal backgrounds.”

Mullin then challenged Mamdani and Hochul over their response to the two incidents.

“Did the mayor of New York say anything about that? Did the individuals that’s in the streets demanding justice for this criminal that we picked up yesterday? Did anybody come out for the officer that was stabbed seven times by these criminals?” he asked.

“Not a word was said. Not a word was said by the mayor. Not a word was said by the governor.”

Blasts Mamdani’s calls to abolish ICE

WATCH: Secretary Mullin Holds a Press Conference on the Dangerous Consequences of Sanctuary City Policies https://t.co/Lgcq44clIg

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 9, 2026

Mullin also took aim at Mamdani’s calls to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement, accusing the mayor of undermining federal agents while failing to stand up for New York’s police officers.

“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 said.

The secretary also rejected Mamdani’s description of ICE as “rotten to the core.”

“Really? When men and women at ICE each day are enforcing the laws that he refuses to enforce!” Mullin said.

He challenged the mayor to explain who would remove dangerous offenders from New York’s streets if ICE were abolished.

“If you abolish ICE, who’s going to take your criminals off the streets of your own town? Who’s going to take the murderers and the thieves and the gangbangers?” Mullin asked.

“Who’s going to take them off the streets because you are not allowing NYPD officers to do it, and they want to!”

ICE shooting sparks fresh confrontation

The news conference followed Thursday’s shooting in Marble Hill, Manhattan, where an ICE officer shot 28-year-old Oscar Belgal in the neck during an attempted arrest. A 5-year-old child was inside the vehicle but was not injured.

Federal officials said the officers believed their lives were in danger. New York police officials said plainclothes federal officers approached the vehicle with guns drawn and fired seven rounds as it began moving forward.

Mamdani condemned the shooting and demanded an end to ICE operations in New York City. Hochul also called for transparency and accountability.

The competing accounts have intensified the clash between the Trump administration and New York’s Democratic leadership over sanctuary-city policies and cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

Mullin’s remarks sought to shift the focus to the dangers faced by police officers and what he described as the consequences of local officials releasing immigrants with criminal histories despite federal immigration detainers.

The dispute underscores the growing confrontation between Washington and New York over immigration enforcement, public safety and the role of ICE in removing people accused or convicted of crimes from American communities.