New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly endorsed abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during an appearance Tuesday on ABC’s The View, placing himself among progressive Democrats calling for sweeping changes to federal immigration enforcement.
Asked whether ICE serves a legitimate law enforcement purpose, Mamdani responded, “I am in support of abolishing ICE,” asserting that the agency has failed to carry out its stated mission. He argued that ICE has instead engaged in practices that harm communities, stating that it is “terrorizing people no matter their immigration status, no matter the facts of the law, no matter the facts of the case.” His remarks drew applause from the studio audience.
Mamdani pointed to images of immigration enforcement actions as emblematic of broader concerns. “I’m tired of waking up every day and seeing a new image of someone being dragged out of a car, dragged out of their home, dragged out of their life,” he remarked, emphasizing the need for what he described as a more humane approach to immigration policy.
The mayor’s comments came amid renewed scrutiny of ICE following the death of Minnesota resident Renee Good, who was shot by an ICE officer earlier this month. The incident prompted nationwide protests and calls from some lawmakers to defund or dismantle the agency. Federal officials have maintained that the officer acted in self-defense, alleging that Good attempted to strike the agent with her vehicle.
During the interview, Mamdani referred to the shooting as “murder” and reiterated his commitment to upholding New York City’s sanctuary city laws despite potential threats of federal funding cuts. “Our values and our laws — they’re not bargaining chips,” he stated.
