ICE shooting tests limits of Mamdani-Trump relationship

Federal immigration authorities’ shooting of an immigrant New Yorker is putting new strain on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump’s dynamic, testing the mayor’s ability to leverage his unexpectedly cordial relationship with the president to the city’s advantage. 

So far, Mamdani’s efforts to get Trump to heed his demands appear to have been unsuccessful – at least in the roughly 24-hour period since a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and wounded 28-year-old Oscar Belgal Thursday afternoon. The agent, who has not been named, fired at least seven shots into Belgal’s vehicle while attempting to apprehend him on a Marble Hill street. Belgal’s five-year-old child was in the car at the time.

As furious protesters roared for justice late Thursday night, Mamdani told reporters that he’d failed to negotiate Belgal’s release during a two-hour call with Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Instead of working with the city, the mayor said, federal immigration authorities took Belgal out of the hospital, put him “in an unmarked vehicle and whisked him away.”

Federal officials meanwhile have given zero indication that they would heed Mamdani’s demand that they halt immigration enforcement across the five boroughs.

In a press conference Friday morning, Mullin repeatedly characterized Belgal as “a thug” and the “worst of the worst,” blaming the city’s sanctuary policies for creating “an environment for criminal activity to thrive.” He took direct aim at Mamdani several times, claiming that the mayor’s words condemning ICE are “dangerous and incite hostility.” 

Despite their vastly different political views, Trump and Mamdani have established a publicly cordial relationship over the past year. It’s bordered on friendly at times – especially on the side of the president, who has come across as fond, even adoring, of the 34-year-old democratic socialist mayor ever since their first meeting at the White House last November. Mamdani, for his part, has emphasized areas of common ground with the president, like building housing, while voicing his disagreements over issues like immigration. 

“I want what’s good for New York, I want what’s good for the country,” Trump said of Mamdani after visiting with him at Gracie Mansion several weeks ago. “I want him to be a great mayor, and he’s certainly got potential, got great potential.”

A running theory is that Mamdani has sought to keep the peace in hopes of keeping the Trump administration from targeting the city with sweeping funding cuts, deploying the National Guard or surging federal immigration enforcement.

It’s impossible to take a conclusive stance on whether the approach has worked so early into Mamdani’s tenure. Thus far, City Hall has touted successes of Mamdani’s ability to work with Trump, including successfully advocating for the release of Columbia University student from federal immigration custody in February, and ongoing discussion about federal investment in housing at Sunnyside Yard – though Trump has made no concrete commitments on the latter. 

But this week’s shooting presents one of the clearest and most urgent tests of Mamdani’s approach with Trump so far – with the result so far being unanswered demands to release Belgal and end ICE operations in New York, that call into question what leverage Mamdani has to demand anything from Trump. Even before the shooting, ICE activity has surged across the five boroughs over the past nine months despite Mamdani’s adamant opposition.  

Murad Awawdeh, president and executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, was skeptical. While he believes in advocating for the safety of immigrant New Yorkers, he expressed doubts that Mamdani will be able to convince the president to end ICE operations in the city. 

“At the end of the day, what I am most concerned about is the people who call New York home – and I don’t care what we have to do to protect them, but our number one goal is to protect them,” Awawdeh said. “If this relationship gets us that, great. I’m not holding my breath though considering this morning they were back at it across the city of New York doing enforcement."

Democratic strategist Trip Yang said that Mamdani has had to be creative in how he engages with Trump given the city’s limited power over the federal government. While he can’t veto actions or threaten to pull federal funding, Mamdani can appeal to Trump’s business interests and their commonality as New Yorkers, according to Yang. And while there’s no guarantee that the president will do as he says, Yang thinks Mamdani could still use their relationship to his advantage. 

“Personal affection in politics often gets you access. It cannot guarantee results,” Yang said. “Just getting in the president’s ear is half the battle, and that comes from a relationship.” 

Democratic strategist Amit Singh Bagga argued that Mamdani’s ability to get on the phone with Trump and Mullin so quickly after the shooting occurred “speaks volumes” about his approach.

“While the average observer or voter may judge the success of that relationship solely by outcomes, a major aspect of the strength of this relationship should be judged by the access,” Bagga said. “The mayor and the president couldn’t be further apart on this issue. That the president, who is likely not accustomed to taking calls from mayors, engaged Mayor Mamdani for two hours, however frustrating the outcome, is an indication of the high degree of capital a democratic socialist mayor has with this president.” 

Gov. Kathy Hochul also said that she spoke with Trump on Thursday night, though it’s unclear for how long.

Belgal is currently being held at Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center, according to The New York Times. For now, that’s where he’ll remain. A Manhattan federal judge ordered ICE to not remove Belgal from the country while the court reviews an emergency petition requesting he be released from custody.