Mamdani guides immigrants on what to do during ICE encounters

Following an ICE operation that drew protests near Chinatown last week, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani posted a video on social media Sunday explaining immigrants’ rights when encountering federal immigration agents.

Steps to take: Mamdani outlined specific protections available to the city’s 3 million immigrants, explaining that ICE agents cannot just enter homes, schools or private workplace areas without a judicial warrant signed by a judge. The video, which featured English captions and Spanish subtitles, included visual examples comparing legitimate judicial warrants with other documents agents may attempt to present.

“If ICE does not have a judicial warrant signed by a judge, you have the right to say, ‘I do not consent to entry,’ and the right to keep your door closed,” he said. He also emphasized, “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.” People can also film ICE activities as long as they do not interfere with arrests. “We can all stand up to ICE if you know your rights,” Mamdani said.

Kristi Noem responds: On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Fox News’ “Hannity” that Mamdani “could be violating the Constitution by giving advice on how to evade law enforcement and how to get away with breaking the law.” She continued, “It’s really unbelievable in this country what we are seeing. Those ICE agents you were referencing — the violent attacks that have increased 1,200%, death threats against them are at 8,000%.”

“We’re certainly going after and looking into all of that with coordination of the Department of Justice,” she said.

Why this matters: Mamdani’s guidance signals how he will navigate tensions between sanctuary city policies and Trump administration enforcement as he prepares to become New York City’s first Asian American and Muslim mayor on Jan. 1. For Asian American communities, the video arrives amid heightened anxiety following immigration operations on Canal Street in both late October and November, where federal officers sparked community resistance.

Mamdani has also spoken out against the detention of a father and 6-year-old son from his Queens assembly district, calling for an end to such actions. His guidance essentially provides practical legal information to vulnerable communities while underscoring his protective stance, which comes just weeks after a surprisingly cordial Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump.

The big picture: The video represents an early test of municipal resistance to federal immigration enforcement as the Trump administration ramps up deportation operations in Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans and other major cities. Mamdani previously called ICE a “rogue agency” with no regard for laws and vowed daily efforts to protect immigrants.

Still, questions remain about how much authority mayors actually have to resist federal enforcement. New York City’s sanctuary policies currently allow coordination with federal law enforcement on approximately 170 serious crimes, leaving gray areas in how enforcement works. At the same time, recent protests saw NYPD officers arrest demonstrators who blocked ICE vehicles, raising questions about whether police actions effectively assist federal operations that city law is meant to restrict.