New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted a Spanish-language video to his official X account on Friday instructing residents on how to respond if Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents come to their door.
In the roughly 90-second clip, Mamdani says ICE agents cannot enter private spaces such as homes, hospitals, churches, or non-public areas of workplaces without a judicial warrant signed by a judge. He tells viewers to look for the words “United States District Court” and a judge’s signature on any document presented, and advises them to ask agents to slide the warrant under the door.
“If they do not have a judicial warrant, you can leave the door closed and say, ‘I do not consent to your entry.'”
Mamdani also tells viewers they have the right to remain silent, and that if stopped by ICE on the street, they can ask, “Am I free to go?” If the agent says yes, he advises walking away calmly. He further recommends speaking with a lawyer before signing documents or making decisions about immigration status, and points viewers to the free, confidential Immigration Legal Hotline at 1-800-354-0365.
The video reminds residents that city agencies, including the NYPD, will not assist with civil immigration enforcement. It closes with Mamdani affirming a right to protest and promising continued support for immigrant communities.
“The Constitution grants you the right to protest, and we will protect that right. These are very frightening times for many people, but as your mayor, I will fight every day to protect, support, and celebrate our communities.”
Not the First Video
Mamdani released a nearly identical video weeks before taking office in January, offering the same guidance on refusing entry without a judicial warrant and remaining silent during encounters with ICE.
The Enforcement Backdrop
The video comes amid an active federal enforcement push in the city. ICE’s Operation Rotten Apple removed more than 2,100 people from New York streets in July and August 2026, including individuals with convictions for murder, kidnapping, rape, and child abuse, according to federal reporting on the operation.
In early October, ICE arrested Oscar Belgal, a Dominican national, in the Bronx. Belgal had a grand larceny conviction, multiple prior arrests for assault, robbery, and weapons offenses, and reported ties to the Trinitarios gang; local authorities had previously released him before the ICE arrest.
Days before that, two Dominican nationals, Dangelo Rafael Jean Caraballo and Sneider Mejia Bautista, were identified as suspects in the stabbing of an off-duty NYPD detective. Both men had prior New York arrests and had been released before ICE could take action against them.
City policy already limits cooperation between municipal agencies and federal immigration authorities. Mamdani’s guidance on demanding judicial warrants and declining to answer questions adds another layer that could make it harder for ICE to locate and detain people at their residences.
