Mamdani threatens to sue Trump administration over ICE’s ‘illegal requisition’ of New York parking lots

NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Monday that he would sue the president that of Donald Trump administration if ICE agents do not cease their “illegal” use of municipal property across New York City.

The legal threat, formulated in a letter addressed to the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin comes after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were spotted using municipal parking lots in Queens and the Bronx to stage operations. At Mamdani’s letter specifically noted that ICE agents were using city-owned land at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, near a city-run preschool.

“This use of City property for federal immigration enforcement is unauthorized and therefore illegal, endangers City residents, and sows fear among those seeking access to City property.” Mamdani wrote in the letter, which was shared with POLITICO by his office. “If your officers continue to use this land without authorization, the City of New York will take legal action to prevent this illegal requisition of City property.”

Mamdani who supports calls to abolish ICE, wrote that he expects his administration to take legal action if Mullin does not “immediately issue directives to your officers prohibiting them from using city land to stage or conduct enforcement operations.”