New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Sunday that his administration will review an incident in which an ICE agent shot a Dominican national with a criminal record, as well as the NYPD’s handling of the situation.

Speaking on MS NOW, Mamdani renewed his demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement end its operations in New York City, again accusing the federal agency of operating in a manner that threatens public safety.

“The city is still dealing with having been terrorized by a rogue federal agency,” Mamdani said, reiterating his previous description of ICE as “rotten to its core.”

The controversy centers on the shooting of Oscar Belgal, 28, who was struck in the neck while inside a moving vehicle with his 5-year-old son in the backseat. Mamdani said he had urged President Donald Trump and his administration to withdraw federal immigration agents following the incident.

Belgal’s criminal history has also drawn attention. Authorities have said he allegedly terrorized former neighbors with a machete and had suspected connections to the violent Trinitarios gang. His record includes a 2023 conviction for grand larceny robbery and an August 2025 arrest on allegations of selling fentanyl, cocaine and heroin.

Despite those allegations and his criminal history, Mamdani focused on the circumstances of the shooting, emphasizing Belgal’s injuries and the emotional impact on his young son. He questioned why agents wearing construction-style vests opened fire on a moving vehicle in broad daylight, comparing the incident to a mass shooting and arguing that NYPD officers would not have acted similarly, particularly with a young child in the car.

Mamdani also revealed that a roughly two-hour discussion with Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin failed to resolve the dispute. Further talks are expected, although Mullin has maintained that ICE agents acted appropriately.

The mayor also defended his decision not to have city authorities detain Belgal, saying there was no arrest warrant authorizing such action.

Meanwhile, Mamdani said his administration would examine the broader events surrounding the shooting, including the NYPD’s response, demonstrations that followed and ICE’s reported use of a Target parking lot as an operational staging area. The review will cover the 24-hour period surrounding the incident.

“We will use every tool at our disposal to keep New York safe,” Mamdani said.

The mayor further claimed that approximately 70% of migrants detained by ICE have no criminal records, accusing the agency of separating families through its enforcement operations.

“Trusting ICE’s word is a fool’s errand. It’s rinse and repeat,” he said, again calling for federal immigration enforcement operations in New York City to end, arguing that their presence makes the city less safe.