Mamdani calls ICE a 'rogue' agency after NYC shooting, claims agents view law as 'merely a suggestion'

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of operating as a "rogue federal agency" and treating the law as "merely a suggestion" during a Sunday interview, days after a federal immigration officer fired seven shots at a man in Manhattan while his 5-year-old son was inside the vehicle.

Mamdani, speaking to MS NOW host Jacob Soboroff in his first interview since Thursday's shooting of 28-year-old Oscar Belgal, accused ICE agents of repeatedly disregarding the law and questioned whether New Yorkers could distinguish federal officers from dangerous attackers.

"We follow the law in New York City and I know that to the secretary, the law is merely a suggestion when it comes to the actions of these ICE agents," Mamdani said.

"They are making a mockery of what law and order is." MAMDANI BLASTS FEDS FOR WAGING 'CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE AND TERROR' AGAINST NYC'S IMMIGRANTS The Department of Homeland Security pushed back against Mamdani's accusations in a statement to Fox News Digital , defending ICE and criticizing the mayor's rhetoric toward federal immigration officers.

"ICE enforces the law as written.

What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether or not they are illegally in the U.S. — full stop," a DHS spokesperson said.

"Mayor Mamdani should be thanking our law enforcement for removing these dangerous criminals from his city — NOT vilifying law enforcement." "Attacks and demonization of ICE law enforcement is wrong," the statement continued.

"Because of smears like this our ICE officers are now facing a 1,600% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists." EXCLUSIVE: DHS SECRETARY MULLIN SLAMS SANCTUARY POLITICIANS AS ATTACKS ON ICE OFFICERS SKYROCKET Mamdani argued that ICE's operations were making New Yorkers less safe and calling for the agency's elimination.

"What we see from their actions is an agency that terrorizes, one that creates a sense of fear as opposed to any idea of safety.

And I made it very clear that the longer that ICE agents were engaging in their operations in the city, the less safe this city was becoming," Mamdani said.

The shooting occurred Thursday afternoon in the Marble Hill neighborhood, where ICE agents attempted to apprehend Belgal, a Dominican national whom DHS said had a prior grand larceny conviction and previous arrests involving assault, robbery, drugs and weapons.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at least one federal immigration officer fired seven rounds, striking Belgal in the neck below his left ear.

His 5-year-old son, who was sitting inside the vehicle, was unharmed.