Mamdani threatens legal action over ICE use of city lots

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is threatening U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with new legal action over the agency's use of city-owned lots. Speaking Monday, Mamdani said the use of those areas for staging is illegal and an unauthorized use of city property. He said the letter makes clear that ICE has no right to use city property or lots for what he called anti-immigrant operations, and that the city is willing to go to court if the agency continues.

The mayor's office says ICE agents have reportedly parked vehicles and held meetings in a number of city-owned lots, including at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx and Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens.

Mamdani also unveiled a policy instructing parks workers to deny ICE agents who ask to use city lots or enter non-public parts of a park without a warrant. Workers who don't comply could face discipline, and they are also told not to engage in verbal or physical altercations with agents.

Last month, Mamdani urged private parking lot owners to keep ICE out, after reports that agents staged in a Marble Hill lot before the shooting of 28-year-old Oscar Belgal.

The Department of Homeland Security pushed back, saying ICE's presence is fully authorized under federal law. Republican Queens Councilwoman Vickie Paladino accused the mayor of overstepping. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams backed him. The article is dated Nov. 2.