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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced a viral backlash on Friday after issuing instructions in Spanish on how residents should handle interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“If you encounter ICE, here’s what every New Yorker should know,” the socialist mayor of the country’s largest city posted Friday on X in a message that quickly was viewed more than 7 million times.
Mamdani explained “what every New Yorker should know” if they “encounter ICE,” adding that ICE “cannot enter private spaces like your home, school, hospitals, or private areas of a workplace without a court warrant signed by a judge.”
Mamdani reminded New Yorkers that they have the right to remain silent and gave advice on best practices for interacting with ICE, saying “this is a very scary time for a lot of people.”
MAMDANI calls ICE a ‘rogue’ agency after New York shooting and says agents view law as ‘merely a suggestion’.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference at Deno’s Wonder Wheel on Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York on February 15, 2026. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu/Getty Images)
Mamdani’s message was quickly criticized by conservatives on social media, with many calling the video a message from the mayor encouraging obstruction of federal law enforcement and encouraging illegal immigration.
“It should be insulting to all Americans that the mayor of our greatest city is a man who became a citizen less than a decade ago and now spends his time teaching illegal aliens in a foreign language how they can avoid being legally deported,” Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, said on X.
MULLIN calls Mamdani’s anti-ice rhetoric ‘dangerous’ after New York shooting
“Unless you are here illegally, you have no reason to fear ICE,” actor Dean Cain posted on X. “This wanker is dangerous.”
“At no point in this video is anyone asked to respect the laws of the United States,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted on X. “Because it was not made for the benefit of the people of the United States.”
“If you are here illegally, you are not a New Yorker,” Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., posted on X. “Period.”
“Betrayal,” Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, posted on X.
“Here we are in 2026, with foreign-born Democrats teaching illegals how to evade the law and stay in our country to suck up our system and, best case scenario, unload our hard work,” Fox News commentator Tomi Lahren posted on X.
“Dangerous incitement full of disturbing lies from communist terrorist supporter @NYCMayor,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton posted on X. “This statement could put lives at risk.”
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference at the site where a man was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during an operation in the Bronx on October 8, 2026, in New York. (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital has reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment.
Mamdani has repeatedly positioned himself against ICE and the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. During his campaign and after taking office, he called for the abolition of ICE and said the NYPD would not assist the agency in policing civil immigration. He also described ICE operations as harmful to immigrant communities.
As mayor, Mamdani signed an executive order strengthening New York City’s sanctuary policies. The order directs city agencies to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, protect personal information and establish protocols for processing ICE requests for access to city property or records. He also called for an expansion of “Know Your Rights” materials and training for city employees.
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