New York: New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Sunday released a video aimed at informing New Yorkers of their legal rights during encounters with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a move that follows an attempted immigration raid in Manhattan and reflects his promise to shield immigrant communities while upholding the city’s constitutional protections.
The video, shared amid renewed scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement in New York, lays out what Mamdani described as practical steps for residents to protect themselves and assert their rights. He framed the message as part of a broader effort to ensure New Yorkers are “prepared, informed and confident” when faced with federal actions he says disproportionately affect immigrant communities.
Know your rights. Protect your neighbors.
New York is — and always will be — a city for all immigrants. pic.twitter.com/nuntRzgEwq
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) December 7, 2025
Mamdani opened the video by referencing an ICE operation last weekend in Manhattan that sought to detain immigrants, using the incident to underscore the urgency of public awareness.
“As mayor, I’ll protect the rights of every single New Yorker, and that includes the more than 3 million immigrants who call this city their home,” he said. “But we can all stand up to ICE if you know your rights.”
He emphasized that ICE agents are not permitted to enter private spaces — including homes, schools or nonpublic areas of workplaces — without a judicial warrant signed by a judge. Residents, he said, are entitled to refuse entry and keep their doors closed if such a warrant is not produced.
Mamdani cautioned that agents may present documents claiming legal authority to make an arrest but said such claims can be misleading. “ICE is legally allowed to lie to you, but you have the right to remain silent,” he said, adding that individuals who are detained can repeatedly ask whether they are free to go.
The mayor-elect also stressed that filming ICE agents is lawful, provided it does not interfere with their actions. He urged residents to remain calm during any interaction with law enforcement and warned against resisting arrest, running or obstructing an investigation.
Mamdani closed the message by reiterating the city’s support for public demonstrations. “New Yorkers have a constitutional right to protest, and when I’m mayor, we will protect that right,” he said. “New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters.”
The video was released more than two weeks after Mamdani met with President Donald Trump, signaling what appeared to be a tentative reset in their relationship as the two found common ground on affordability and quality-of-life concerns in the city.
Despite that outreach, Mamdani has continued to reaffirm New York’s status as a sanctuary city. Speaking last month at a church in the Bronx, he said he told the president directly that city law limits cooperation with federal authorities to roughly 170 serious offenses.
“The concern comes from beyond those crimes,” Mamdani said at the time, referring to immigrants arrested or deported for what he described as routine legal matters, including appearing in court. “My focus as the next mayor of this city is going to be to protect immigrants who call this city their home.”
