Homeland Security chief Markwayne Mullin blasted New York leaders for “sanctuary” failures after federal agents shot a Bronx driver and, days earlier, an off-duty detective was stabbed by suspects lacking legal status.
Story Snapshot
- Mullin accused New York leaders of enabling suspects in a detective’s stabbing while rushing to condemn an ICE shooting.
- Police body-camera video shows the aftermath of the ICE shooting that injured Oscar Belgal, with a child in the car.
- Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani demanded answers and more footage from federal officials.
- Reports say one stabbing suspect had prior cases and another faced a deportation order; full records remain limited.
What sparked the clash between Washington and New York
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized New York’s governor and mayor after two high-profile incidents days apart. Federal immigration agents shot Oscar Belgal during an arrest attempt in the Bronx. A five-year-old child was in the car. Separately, off-duty Detective Jose Mercedes was stabbed in an alleged robbery. Mullin argued New York’s “sanctuary” policies let the stabbing suspects remain on the streets despite prior issues, and said city leaders ignored that case while condemning the shooting.
New York leaders pressed federal officials for answers on the shooting. Governor Kathy Hochul requested more body-camera footage and questioned the tactics used near a school during the afternoon. Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the episode “unconscionable,” highlighted the child’s presence, and urged a pause on Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the city. Both said they wanted an immediate explanation from federal authorities and more transparency about what led to the gunfire.
What we know from video and police accounts
New York Police Department body-worn camera footage shows the aftermath of the federal shooting, including officers arriving and securing the scene. Reporting cited Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch as saying a federal agent fired seven rounds, with a shot striking Belgal in the neck. The available public video is not the full federal body-camera footage from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement team, which limits what the public can conclude about the moments before the shots were fired.
Mullin said agents believed Belgal tried to use the vehicle as a weapon and attempted to flee with a child in the back seat. News coverage stressed that a child’s presence raised public concern and drove calls for more oversight. Courts also entered the fray, with reporting that a judge blocked Belgal’s immediate removal while facts are reviewed. The federal government has not released a complete investigative report, which leaves some questions open about decision-making at the scene.
Who are the detective-stabbing suspects and what is disputed
Reporters identified D’Angelo Carabello and Sneider Mejia as suspects in the stabbing of Detective Mercedes. Accounts described both as Dominican nationals without lawful status. Coverage said one suspect had two pending weapons cases, and another reportedly had a prior deportation order. Mullin argued that “sanctuary” practices and refusals to work with detainer requests led to repeated releases. The public record provided so far does not include full court dockets or immigration files to verify each step.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin is calling out New York’s governor and mayor over what he describes as a glaring double standard in their response to violent crime.
“Not one of them said anything,” Mullin tells @ShannonBream on @FoxNewsSunday, pointing to an off-duty NYPD… pic.twitter.com/Hxag5Bt26a
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 11, 2026
The claim that New York officials stayed silent about the detective case is not fully supported by reporting. Coverage states Mayor Mamdani visited Detective Mercedes and his family at the hospital with Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch on the day of the attack. That action undercuts the idea of total silence. The materials reviewed do not show a similar on-record statement from Governor Hochul specific to the stabbing, which leaves the picture incomplete rather than clear-cut.
Why this resonates with a broader trust problem
Both incidents land in the middle of a long fight over immigration enforcement. People on the right see local limits on detainers as a threat to safety. People on the left see federal tactics as reckless when force is used near families. Studies have found that “sanctuary” policies do not raise overall crime, but that does not erase anger when a single case goes wrong. The gap between the data and lived events fuels the sense that powerful officials are not fixing clear problems.
What to watch next to test the claims
Key records could settle parts of this debate. Complete federal and local body-camera video would show what agents saw and why they fired. Court and immigration files could confirm prior arrests, detainers, and release decisions for the stabbing suspects. A time-stamped log of statements, hospital visits, and policy moves from state and city leaders would show whether attention was even or selective. Without those files, firm claims about double standards risk outrunning what the facts can prove.
Sources:
abcnews.com, nypost.com, nytimes.com, npr.org, yahoo.com, nydailynews.com, lohud.com, onlinelibrary.wiley.com
