New York: Mamdani posts Spanish-language video on rights during ICE encounters, drawing Republican criticism
New York — City Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted a Spanish-language video of about a minute and a half on Friday on his official X account, explaining to New Yorkers what their rights are if they encounter agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“If you encounter ICE, these are your rights,” Mamdani says at the start of the video. First, he says agents cannot legally enter private spaces — homes, hospitals, churches and private areas of the workplace — without a judicial warrant. He advises viewers to look for the words “United States District Court” and a judge's signature on the document, and to ask officers to pass the order under the door. “If they do not have a judicial warrant, you can leave the door closed and say, ‘I do not consent to your entry,’” he explains.
Second, he recalls the right to remain silent: if an agent stops you on the street, he suggests asking “Am I free to go?” and, if the answer is yes, walking away calmly. He also advises speaking with a lawyer before signing any document or making decisions about immigration status. Third, he says no one is alone, and shares the city's immigration legal support line, 1-800-354-0365, free and confidential regardless of immigration status, as well as 311. The video closes by recalling the right to protest, which the mayor pledges to protect.
The message drew immediate criticism from Republican lawmakers. Rep. Brandon Gill called it “insulting to every American”; Sen. Mike Lee wrote that at no point in the video is anyone urged to abide by U.S. laws; Sen. Rick Scott called it “unbelievable” and accused the mayor of openly helping people evade ICE; Rep. Nick LaLota said the city “is becoming more like Paris every day”; and Sen. Bernie Moreno answered with a single word: “Treason.” Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton described it as a “dangerous incitement.”
The video was posted the same weekend early voting began in New York for the November 3 midterm elections, in which the mayor already cast his ballot on Saturday morning.
Photo: New York Post
Source: New York Post