'Know Your Rights': Mamdani urges New Yorkers to push back against ICE raids
The mayor-elect's video message advises immigrants on legally refusing to answer questions or allow entry to ICE officers, following a recent ICE raid in Chinatown
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has told immigrant residents that they have the legal right not to speak to, or comply with, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. He released a video on Sunday (December 7), days after an ICE raid in Manhattan.
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“Last weekend, ICE attempted to raid Canal Street and detain our immigrant neighbours,” Mamdani said in the video posted on X.
'Know your rights'
In the video, he said his administration would work to protect the city’s large immigrant community. “We can all stand up to ICE if you know your rights,” he stated, emphasising that people in the United States may legally refuse to answer questions from immigration agents.
He added that individuals may film ICE officers as long as they do not interfere with an arrest, and may decline requests to enter private areas. Mamdani explained that ICE officers cannot enter private spaces such as homes, schools, or non-public areas of workplaces without a judicial warrant signed by a judge.
Mamdani urged immigrants to familiarise themselves with their rights when interacting with ICE officers. “You have the right to say, ‘I do not consent to entry,’ and the right to keep your door closed,” he said.
“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,” he added.
ICE raids in Chinatown
The remarks followed a tense scene on Canal Street in Chinatown last week, where demonstrators gathered as ICE officers attempted to detain several people, according to ABC News.
A similar operation in the same neighbourhood last October also drew protests from residents and immigrant rights groups. Mamdani said these incidents highlighted the importance of clear information about legal protections.
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“New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support, and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters,” he said. The mayor-elect is due to take office on 1 January 2026.
Pledges support for immigrants
Mamdani, who met US President Donald Trump in a surprisingly cordial Oval Office meeting weeks earlier, has positioned himself as a strong critic of aggressive immigration enforcement in the city.
Federal immigration crackdowns have intensified under the Trump administration, including recent sweeps in New Orleans, yet the mayor-elect insisted that New York’s sanctuary city policies would remain unchanged.
During a speech in a Bronx church last month, Mamdani said he made the city’s stance clear. “I shared with the President directly that New Yorkers want to follow the laws of our city, and the laws of our city say that, under our sanctuary policies, city government may liaise with the federal government on roughly 170 serious crimes,” he said.
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His concern, he added, is that many immigrants face detention or deportation over minor issues. “The concern comes from beyond those crimes, the many New Yorkers who are being arrested, detained, or deported for the crime of making a regular court appearance,” he said.