Tensions intensified in Brooklyn over the weekend after a federal immigration arrest sparked a crowd, political backlash, and a late-night confrontation outside a hospital.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani weighed in as videos spread online showing anti-ICE demonstrators trying to interfere with agents following the arrest of a man accused of assault and drug-related offenses. Speaking to Gothamist on Sunday, Mamdani said he had not watched the footage but reiterated his long-standing position, stating, “I’ve said time and time again, ICE raids are cruel and inhumane.”
He went further, adding, “They do nothing to serve in the interest of public safety,” according to the outlet.
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The incident centered on the arrest of Chidozie Wilson Okeke, a Nigerian national identified by the Department of Homeland Security as an undocumented immigrant with prior arrests tied to assault and drug possession. Authorities said the situation escalated Saturday night in Bushwick, where protests broke out and nine demonstrators were detained.
Mamdani was not alone in criticizing the operation. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso took to X, warning that “ICE’s presence in Bushwick is deeply alarming.” He urged residents to stay alert, posting, “If you see ICE in your neighborhood, call or text the Hands Off NYC hotline.” Reynoso also expressed appreciation for those who showed up, writing, “To our neighbors who quickly mobilized last night, thank you for making it loud and clear that ICE is not welcome in Brooklyn.”
State Sen. Julia Salazar echoed similar concerns online, encouraging the public to report sightings of federal agents. She described the heavy police presence as “concerning,” arguing it was deployed against what she called “clearly a justified gathering by local residents.”
Federal authorities, however, painted a different picture of the arrest. According to DHS, Okeke refused orders to exit his vehicle and allegedly attempted to strike agents with it. Officials said he became “physically combative” during the encounter, trying to punch and elbow officers.
“Our officers followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest,” DHS said in a statement.
Following his apprehension, Okeke was taken to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center for evaluation. DHS said he continued to resist during the process, noting that he was “throwing himself to the floor and screaming” before eventually being cleared by medical staff.
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Authorities added that Okeke entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2023 and failed to leave by the required departure date of Feb. 26, 2024.
Footage circulating online shows agents removing him from the hospital after the evaluation. Outside, demonstrators had gathered, and DHS reported that some individuals damaged agency vehicles and assaulted officers, leaving them with minor injuries.
City Councilmember Sandy Nurse said she was present during the standoff, describing the arrest as a “kidnapping.” She wrote, “We did not have any information about the person ICE had detained, although we tried many times to get information.”
Nurse said that coordination between ICE and the NYPD ultimately allowed agents to move Okeke into federal vehicles and leave the area. She later thanked residents “who dropped everything and showed up to demand ICE out of our neighborhood,” while also urging locals to report ICE activity.
Mamdani has previously made his stance on the agency clear. During an appearance on ABC’s The View, he said, “I am in support of abolishing ICE.”
“What we see is an entity that has no interest in fulfilling its stated reason to exist,” he continued. “We’re seeing a government agency that is supposed to be enforcing some kind of immigration law, but instead what it’s doing is terrorizing people — no matter their immigration status, no matter the facts of the law, no matter the facts of the case.”
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Police said eight of the nine people taken into custody during the protests now face charges including resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. One individual was issued a summons and later released, according to a Fox News report.