Zohran Mamdani tells immigrant New Yorkers about their right not to comply with ICE

New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has taken a strong public stance on immigrant rights, releasing a video on social media Sunday that outlines how immigrants can legally respond when confronted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The video comes in the wake of a recent ICE raid in Manhattan that stirred community concern.

“We can all stand up to ICE if you know your rights,” Mamdani declared in the video, pledging to protect the city’s estimated 3 million immigrant residents. He detailed specific legal rights that individuals have when interacting with federal immigration authorities.

Mamdani emphasized that individuals have the right to remain silent when approached by ICE agents, can legally film the agents without interference, and can refuse entry to private spaces unless agents present a judicial warrant signed by a judge. Such protected spaces include homes, schools, and private areas of workplaces.

“ICE is legally allowed to lie to you, but you have the right to remain silent. If you’re being detained, you may always ask, ‘Am I free to go?’ repeatedly until they answer you,” explained Mamdani, who will officially take office on January 1.

The timing of Mamdani’s message comes amid heightened immigration enforcement activities across the country. Just a week earlier, protesters gathered in response to ICE operations on Canal Street near New York’s Chinatown, a neighborhood that saw similar immigration sweeps and subsequent demonstrations last October.

The mayor-elect’s stance reflects New York’s long-standing identity as an immigrant-friendly city. “New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support, and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters,” Mamdani stated in his video address.

This public position on immigration comes at a time of national tension over immigration policies. The Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement operations in several U.S. cities, with recent sweeps reported in New Orleans. The federal government’s approach to immigration enforcement has often placed it at odds with the policies of so-called “sanctuary cities” like New York, which limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Notably, despite these policy differences, Mamdani recently participated in what observers described as a surprisingly cordial meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. The apparent contrast between this diplomatic encounter and Mamdani’s subsequent public stance on immigration enforcement highlights the complex political dynamics at play between federal and municipal authorities on immigration issues.

Immigration advocacy groups have praised Mamdani’s proactive approach to informing immigrant communities of their legal rights. Such “know your rights” campaigns have become increasingly common in cities with large immigrant populations as federal enforcement actions have intensified in recent years.

New York City has historically maintained policies designed to protect immigrant communities, including limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, providing municipal ID cards available to all residents regardless of immigration status, and offering legal services to immigrants facing deportation.

As Mamdani prepares to take office in January, his early focus on immigrant rights signals that immigration will likely remain a priority issue for his administration, potentially setting up continued tension with federal authorities should immigration enforcement operations in the city persist.