DHS defends ICE agents who shot man in New York car while child was present

U.S. immigration officials defended the use of force by ICE agents who shot a 28-year-old man, Oscar Belgal, during a traffic stop in New York, saying the driver resisted orders and endangered officers.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin told reporters that agents fired because they believed their lives and the public’s were at risk, adding that officials were unaware a five-year-year-old child was in the back seat. ICE senior official Marcos Charles said Belgal accelerated his vehicle into two ICE cars, "weaponised his vehicle" and was hit in the neck by a bullet or fragment.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the shooting as "unconscionable and incredibly serious," noting that agents wore construction vests and masks that concealed their identities. He confirmed the child was unharmed and said he had spoken with President Donald Trump and Mullin without securing Belgal’s release.

Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul called for a swift explanation from federal authorities. Body-worn camera footage released by the NYPD showed ICE officers in a neon construction vest arriving on scene, assisting after the shooting, and transporting Belgal to a hospital.

The Department of Homeland Security said Belgal, a Dominican Republic native, had prior convictions for grand larceny, assault, robbery, drug and weapons offenses, and was linked to the Trinitarios criminal group. Mullin suggested Belgal may have had knowledge of a prior CBP officer shooting, which he said made him a target. ICE officials said agents identified themselves and kept their body cameras on, though the video has not been made public.