NYC Mayoral Office: City to Sue if ICE Stays in Public Lots

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has issued a formal warning to the Department of Homeland Security. He stated that the city will take legal action if Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents continue to operate from city-owned parking lots.

The dispute centers on activity that began in July. According to the mayor's letter, ICE agents have used lots in Queens and the Bronx to stage operations. These sites include a lot at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx and a lot on 111th Street in Queens. The Queens location sits next to a city-run preschool and the New York Hall of Science.

The mayor's office alleges that agents parked vehicles and held meetings in these spaces. In response, the city issued new guidelines to Parks Department employees. Staff were instructed to deny entry to non-public areas unless agents present a judicial warrant. Employees were also told to notify city lawyers and avoid physical or verbal altercations with federal officers.

Mamdani said in a statement, "ICE has no right to use our property as a base for tearing families apart." He added, "Today, I'm telling DHS to order its agents off our lots. If they keep coming back, we will see them in court."

The Department of Homeland Security pushed back against the city's position. In a statement, DHS said the presence of ICE in public parking lots is fully authorized under federal law. The department described the practice as standard for law enforcement agencies nationwide.

DHS also directed a comment at the mayor. The statement read, "Mayor Mamdani should be grateful to our brave law enforcement officers for cleaning up the streets of NYC since he won't."