DHS says agents were unaware child was in vehicle during shooting
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Friday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will not halt its operations in New York City after a plainclothes ICE agent shot a man in the Bronx on Thursday while a 5-year-old child was in the vehicle. At a morning press briefing, ICE officials said the man, identified by ICE as Oscar Belgal, was being held in a detention facility outside of New York state.
The shooting occurred Thursday in the Bronx. Belgal was in his SUV with the child in the back seat at the time, and he was struck in the neck. ICE officials said his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Marcos Charles, ICE’s executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations, justified the agent’s use of force. Charles alleged that Belgal “decided to not comply with lawful orders given by federal law enforcement officers, ICE officers, good men and women that are out there every day enforcing immigration laws.”
Charles said officers had been looking for Belgal, whom he described as the target of a Homeland Security investigation. Charles alleged that Belgal is associated with a New York gang and “has invaded law enforcement.” While officers attempted to apprehend him, Charles said, Belgal “weaponized his vehicle.” Charles described the injury Belgal suffered as “superficial.”
Belgal is being held in a detention facility outside of New York state, Charles said. Charles alleged that Belgal was a subject in the 2024 shooting of a Customs and Border Protection agent, and Mullin said Belgal was believed to have information related to that shooting. “He’s now in custody after the actions that were taken yesterday by our ICE officers,” Charles said. DHS will pursue removal proceedings for Belgal, Charles said.
Mullin blamed sanctuary city policies for endangering the public. “I want to make it very clear, sanctuary politicians, they create an environment for criminal activity to thrive,” Mullin said. “Not for the American citizens to be safe. Underneath President Trump, he made it very clear he was going to restore law and order in our cities and our towns and our states, despite what happens with career politicians that put criminals in front of law-abiding citizens. When you have sanctuary cities and sanctuary politicians you endanger the safety of the public.”
Mullin also criticized New York City officials for not working closely with ICE, and singled out Mayor Zohran Mamdani for not making public statements about violence against law enforcement officers. And Mullin denied that ICE agents were aware a child was in the vehicle at the time of the shooting.