Progressive Democrats Renew Calls to Abolish ICE After NYC Shooting

US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents the district near the site of the shooting in Marble Hill, condemned the agency as a "lawless paramilitary" force. Belgal, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was treated for a neck injury before being taken into custody. A federal judge has since ordered that he not be deported while the court reviews an emergency petition for his release.

Representative Ro Khanna, like Ocasio-Cortez a potential 2028 presidential contender, joined the call for the agency's dissolution, arguing that House Democrats have a moral mandate to act if they secure a majority in the upcoming midterm elections. The shooting involved officers wearing construction vests and face masks, a tactic Representative Yassamin Ansari noted has been used elsewhere, including agents posing as electricians in Phoenix to conduct home arrests.

Department of Homeland Security policy generally prohibits agents from firing into moving vehicles, a regulation reportedly violated in this encounter. Representative Ayanna Pressley joined the growing chorus of criticism, demanding accountability from President Donald Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin for the trauma inflicted on the child caught in the crossfire.