New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is escalating his war on federal immigration enforcement, demanding the outright abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) even as a previously deported illegal alien stands accused of murdering an 83-year-old Air Force veteran in the citys subway system.
At a press conference ostensibly focused on street safety initiatives, Mamdani veered into immigration policy and denounced ICE as a rogue and reckless agency that delivers nothing toward the furthering of the cause of public safety. According to The Gateway Pundit, the mayor claimed he has repeatedly pressed President Donald Trump, both in private and in public, to dismantle the federal immigration enforcement body, insisting that its presence instills fear in immigrant communities and operates with a level of impunity.
Ive also been public about my belief that ICE is an entity that should be abolished, and that is critically important in our city, where weve seen too many New Yorkers living in fear of even going to what would otherwise be routine immigration check-ins, Mamdani said. His remarks underscore a broader progressive push to weaken or eliminate federal immigration enforcement, even as crime tied to illegal immigration continues to alarm many residents and law-abiding immigrants alike.
The timing of Mamdanis comments is particularly striking. They come just days after a deadly attack in the New York City subway system that claimed the life of 83-year-old Air Force veteran Richard Williams, who died after being shoved onto the tracks at the Lexington Avenue63rd Street station in Manhattan.
Authorities have charged 34-year-old Honduran national Bairon Posada-Hernandez with murder in connection with the incident. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Posada-Hernandez had been deported from the United States four times and is described as a serial criminal.
Despite the gravity of the crime and the suspects extensive immigration history, Mamdani has not issued any public statement specifically addressing Williams killing by an illegal alien. Reporters at the press conference did not press the mayor on the case, leaving unasked the obvious question of how a four-time deported offender was again free to roam New Yorks streets and subways.
When Fox News inquired whether Posada-Hernandez would be turned over to ICE, the mayors office deflected, referring the outlet to the Department of Corrections (DOC). A DOC spokesperson responded that the agency processes ICE detainers consistent with local law, a formulation that reflects New York Citys sanctuary policies, which sharply limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Under current city law, ICE is notified only if there is a detainer backed by a judicial warrant (I-200 or I-205) and the individual has a qualifying recent conviction for a violent or serious crime. It remains unclear whether ICE will be notified or allowed to take custody of Posada-Hernandez, despite his four prior deportations, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS has made its position unmistakably clear, issuing a pointed statement demanding that the accused killer not be shielded by sanctuary policies. Posada-Hernandez is a serial criminal and four-time deported illegal alien who NEVER should have been able to walk our streets and harm innocent Americans. He is now facing murder charges. We are calling on New York sanctuary politicians to not release this murderer. Please join us in praying for Mr. Williams family, friends, and loved ones, the department said.
Even as federal officials plead for cooperation, Mamdani is throwing his support behind an upcoming anti-ICE demonstration. He endorsed the No Kings NYC protest planned for Saturday in Manhattan, praising public demonstrations as an incredibly effective way for New Yorkers to both organize together and an opportunity for opponents of immigration enforcement to show they are one of a growing coalition.
What these rallies are are also an opportunity to realize that you are not in the minority when you have those beliefs. You are, in fact, one of a growing coalition of people who want to see a shred of decency, dignity and humanity come back to our city and our countrys politics, Mamdani said. As federal authorities warn that sanctuary policies are endangering innocent Americans, New Yorkers are left to weigh whether dismantling ICE and doubling down on non-cooperation serves public safetyor merely invites more tragedies like the killing of Richard Williams.
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