![\"Untitled](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Untitled-design-13.jpg\")
\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Reps. Ritchie Torres and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez both issued statement saying that Trump\u2019s decision to attack Iran without Congressional authorization was unlawful. <\/p>\n
Photos courtesy Rep. Torres\u2019 office\/Tom Williams\/Pool via REUTERS<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump\u2019s newly-launched war against the Iranian regime is being met with harsh criticism from Bronx Congress Members who are dismayed by the president\u2019s failure to seek Congressional approval, as is required under the Constitution.<\/p>\n
The United States and Israel began launching missile attacks across the country on Feb. 28 that killed the country\u2019s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Meanwhile, Trump\u2019s stated objectives for the attacks have been \u201cshifting<\/a>,\u201d leaving unclear whether he intended for regime collapse, regime change, nuclear disarmament or other goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, a regional war has spread to other U.S.-allied countries, such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, and the strikes are estimated<\/a> to have killed more than 1,000 Iranian civilians and six American military members.<\/p>\n Many Americans were caught off guard by the abrupt military action, as Trump has promoted\u00a0 an \u201cAmerica First\u201d agenda and criticized past presidents for U.S. involvement in prolonged foreign wars.\u00a0<\/p>\n Congressional Democrats representing the Bronx are among those outraged that Trump did not seek approval, or even provide a briefing, before launching attacks.<\/p>\n Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of the Bronx and Queens, called the war \u201cunlawful\u201d and predicted that it \u201cwill be catastrophic\u201d in a Feb. 28 statement<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMr. President: this was not an inevitability. This is a deliberate choice of aggression when diplomacy and security were within reach. Stop lying to the American people,\u201d she said, adding that she plans to support a resolution calling for an immediate end to American actions in Iran.<\/p>\n Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres issued a March 2 statement<\/a> beginning with a harsh rebuke of the Iranian regime, which he said has been \u201ca murderous oppressor of its own people\u201d and an increasing nuclear threat for the past 40 years.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the Islamic Republic were to fall after four decades of repression and terror, not one American should shed a tear for its demise,\u201d Torres said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n However, he also said Trump\u2019s failure to seek approvals for the attack was unlawful.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe notion that a President can plunge the United States into a regional war in one of the most volatile places on earth \u2014 without even briefing Congress, much less securing its authorization \u2014 is irreconcilable with the text, structure, and history of the Constitution,\u201d Torres said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n New York City on alert\u00a0<\/p>\n As the conflict spreads, New York City remains on high alert.\n<\/p>\n Mayor Zohran Mamdani said while no specific threats have been identified, the city has ramped up security around diplomatic and religious sites, according to amNewYork<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAmericans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace,\u201d Mamdani said in a Feb. 28 post<\/a> on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n He also spoke directly to Iranians in New York, saying, \u201cYou are part of the fabric of this city \u2014 you are our neighbors, small business owners, students, artists, workers, and community leaders. You will be safe here.\u201d<\/p>\n But the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, among other outlets, pointed out<\/a> that Mamdani did not provide a message of support to Jewish New Yorkers or those Iranians celebrating the possibility of the oppressive regime\u2019s end. The Bronx Times reached out to the Bronx Jewish Center but did not receive a response in time for publication.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Bronx Times contacted the Bronx Muslim Center for comment but did not receive a response.\n<\/p>\n Just days in, the war\u2019s human toll is taking shape amid growing concern that people already persecuted under the Iranian regime may face further injustice.\n<\/p>\n The Center for Human Rights in Iran issued a statement<\/a> saying that political prisoners detained during the protests<\/a> that have roiled the country since late 2025 are vulnerable to \u201csecret executions\u201d amid the turmoil of war.\u00a0<\/p>\n The center called for urgent diplomatic assistance in securing the prisoners\u2019 release.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe Islamic Republic has a history of using the shadow of war and crises to carry out abuses in prisons and retaliate against political prisoners,\u201d their statement said. \u201cThe safety of the prisoners and detainees in Iran must be protected and prioritized.\u201d<\/p>\n Reach Emily Swanson at\u00a0eswanson@schnepsmedia.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0(646) 717-0015<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t