Mamdani Calls For Abolishing ICE During TV Appearance

NEW YORK, NY — Mayor Mamdani said he supports abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a co-host asked whether the federal agency has “any legitimate law enforcement role” during an interview on The View.

“They do nothing to deliver public safety,” Mamdani said, criticizing masked agents who detain citizens and individuals authorized to live in the United States. “In fact, what they do is leave a sense of fear among so many.”

The Mayor’s remarks followed a recent ICE operation in Minneapolis that drew national attention after a federal agent fatally shot a U.S. citizen during an enforcement action, prompting protests and renewed scrutiny of the agency’s tactics.

“We’re going to use every tool at our disposal to ensure what we’re seeing elsewhere is not what we see in this city,” Mamdani said.

Federal officials have defended the agency’s role, arguing that ICE is legally required to enforce immigration law and prioritize individuals deemed threats to public safety. In agency guidance, ICE describes detainers as a tool used to “protect the public” and states that enforcement actions are conducted in accordance with federal law.

Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin asked the Mayor whether New York City could withstand the loss of federal funding after President Trump warned that his administration would stop payments to sanctuary cities beginning Feb. 1.

Mamdani defended the city’s statutes, reiterating remarks he made earlier at a Jan. 14 press conference.

New York City receives roughly $7.5 billion in federal funding, more than 6% of its annual budget, supporting a range of services including housing, transportation, public health and emergency response.

"When it comes to the threat to restrict federal funding to New York City, I want to be very clear that our values in our laws are not bargaining chips,” Mamdani said at the press conference.
Mamdani said he reached out to the president to express his opposition, but did not receive a response.

The dispute has also moved into the courts.

In July 2025, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against New York City, challenging the legality of its sanctuary laws, which limit cooperation between city agencies, including the NYPD and federal immigration enforcement.

During the discussion, the co-hosts also pressed the mayor on affordability issues facing New Yorkers, including rent-stabilized housing and access to childcare.

He pointed to ongoing efforts to preserve rent-stabilized apartments and highlighted proposals to expand early-childhood education, building on the city’s existing 3-K and pre-K programs, while noting that broader childcare expansion would require additional state support and funding.