Demonstrators demand accountability after a 28-year-old man was shot during an immigration operation while a five-year-old child was inside his vehicle.

Protests have erupted in New York following the shooting of a Dominican man by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, escalating tensions between city officials and President Donald Trump’s administration over federal immigration enforcement.

Oscar Belgal, 28, was shot in the neck during an attempted arrest in the Marble Hill neighbourhood of New York on Thursday, October 8, 2026. A five-year-old child who was inside his vehicle was not physically injured, according to reports by US media.

The incident drew criticism from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who called for ICE to be abolished and said he intended to demand the withdrawal of federal immigration agents from the city. His position prompted a sharp response from US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who defended the agency and accused the mayor of encouraging hostility towards its officers.

Speaking to journalists, Mullin said Belgal had an extensive criminal history and had attempted to evade arrest. ICE official Marcos Charles also alleged that the driver refused orders to leave his vehicle, struck government vehicles and accelerated towards officers, prompting them to open fire because they believed their lives were in danger.

However, video footage circulated by US media showed plainclothes federal agents approaching the vehicle with their weapons drawn before the car moved away. The footage has intensified public scrutiny of the operation, although the available video does not independently establish every detail of what happened before the shooting.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Manhattan on Friday, chanting slogans opposing ICE operations and expressing support for immigrants. The protest reflected broader concerns about the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the use of force by federal agents.

New York is among several US cities that restrict local police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. The shooting has renewed tensions over these policies, with federal officials criticising the city’s approach and local leaders demanding greater transparency and accountability.

The incident has added to scrutiny of ICE operations following other high-profile shootings involving federal immigration agents. Calls for an investigation and further disclosure of evidence have intensified as officials and residents seek answers about the circumstances surrounding the latest shooting.