US immigration officials defend ICE agents who shot man while his child was in the car

Key Points:

• US immigration officials defended ICE officers who shot and wounded Oscar Belgal in his car in New York while his five-year-old son was in the back seat, stating officers were unaware the child was present and acted in self-defense after Belgal allegedly weaponized his vehicle.
• ICE officials said Belgal resisted arrest, rammed ICE vehicles, and accelerated towards officers, prompting them to fire; Belgal was struck superficially in the neck and is now detained.
• New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the shooting, highlighting that ICE agents wore construction vests and masks that concealed their identities, and confirmed the child was unharmed; he has called on President Trump to halt ICE enforcement in New York.
• The Department of Homeland Security stated Belgal has a criminal history including grand larceny, assault, robbery, and alleged ties to the Trinitarios gang, and may have knowledge of a prior CBP officer shooting, which made him a target.
• New York officials including Mayor Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul have demanded answers about the incident, while ICE and DHS have maintained their enforcement actions will continue.