US officials defend ICE agents who shot man in New York
US federal officials have defended Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who shot Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old Dominican man, in New York City’s Marble Hill neighborhood on October 8. Belgal’s five-year-old son was in the car at the time but was unharmed. Officials say Belgal refused orders to exit his car, struck two ICE vehicles, and accelerated toward officers, leading them to believe their lives were in danger. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said agents did not know a child was in the vehicle and argued that Belgal had put his son at risk. Belgal was wounded in the neck but survived. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the operation and called on ICE to halt its enforcement activities in the city. But federal officials have cited Belgal’s criminal history in defending the operation. The shooting remains under investigation and has heightened tensions between the Trump administration and New York officials over immigration enforcement and the use of force. The incident is the latest in a series of encounters involving ICE agents that have drawn widespread scrutiny in the US and abroad. Agents have opened fire during enforcement operations on multiple occasions, prompting concerns about the use of force as the agency expands its activities. Following President Donald Trump’s signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law on July 4, 2025, ICE received a historic increase in funding to expand its operations nationwide. The agency has since faced renewed scrutiny amid reports of people being shot, injured, and killed during encounters with immigration agents. Click through to see how many people have been shot by ICE agents.
