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- Zohran Mamdani hits out over Donald Trump’s radical ICE plans (themirror.com)
New York Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani has firmly declared that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will not be permitted to disrupt communities in New York during the upcoming World Cup, directly challenging plans reportedly advanced by former President Donald Trump’s administration.
As the World Cup is set to begin later this week, the nation is facing various sociopolitical challenges, including a high-profile visa denial for a referee. Amid this backdrop, reports suggest the Trump administration intends to deploy a surge of ICE agents to New York City, intensifying immigration enforcement efforts. This move has sparked friction with New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Mamdani, who are vocal opponents of the administration’s migrant policies.
Trump’s former border official, Tom Homan, confirmed the impending increase in ICE presence during a Fox News appearance, stating, “You’re going to see more ICE than you’ve ever seen in New York City, and it’s coming.” While he did not specify the timing, the message was clear: heightened enforcement is imminent.
Mamdani, who is also expected to attend the New York Knicks’ NBA Finals Game 3 at Madison Square Garden alongside Trump, pushed back against the ICE escalation. Highlighting the essential role immigrants play in soccer and the broader community, he emphasized the welcoming spirit New York extends during the international event.
“Soccer would not exist without immigrants,” Mamdani posted on social media. “Immigrants play and coach the game, work in the stadiums, fill the stands, and make celebrations like the World Cup possible.
Six of the players on the U.S. Men’s National Team are immigrants.
We will not allow ICE or anyone else to sow fear in our communities-especially at this moment. As the world comes to our city, we will stand proudly with our immigrant neighbors and reject these attacks for what they are: an attempt to divide us.”
This stance is part of Mamdani’s broader opposition to Trump’s immigration crackdown. Recently, protests erupted at a New Jersey immigration detention center, where demonstrators demanded better living conditions and medical care for detainees. Over 80 people were arrested during solidarity actions at Delaney Hall in Newark.
Mamdani cited such incidents as evidence that ICE enforcement is beyond reform. In an interview on MS NOW’s “The Weekend,” he stated, “There is no way to reform this kind of cruelty that we’re seeing endemic in the way that immigration is being enforced across the country.”
He reaffirmed New York City’s commitment to sanctuary policies, noting, “When it comes to our city, we are proud of our sanctuary city policies. We are proud of the policies we’ve put forward and also the executive orders we’ve put forward to ensure that every single agency is complying with those policies.”
As the World Cup brings global attention to New York, the city’s leaders remain steadfast in defending immigrant communities against federal enforcement actions they view as divisive and harmful.
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- Zohran Mamdani hits out over Donald Trump’s radical ICE plans (themirror.com)