Mamdani Posts Spanish-Language Video on Rights When Encountering ICE; Conservatives Criticize It

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani posted a Spanish-language video of about a minute and a half on social media Friday, telling residents what rights they have if they encounter U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. He said agents cannot legally enter private spaces without a judicial order, and that people should look for the words "United States District Court" and a judge's signature and can ask officers to pass the document under the door. Without a judicial warrant, he said, people can keep the door closed and say, "I do not consent to your entry." He also said people stopped on the street have the right to remain silent, can ask "Am I free to go?", should walk away calmly if told yes, and should speak to a lawyer before signing anything. He added that the city, including local police, does not assist in civil immigration enforcement. Republican Rep. Nick LaLota of New York wrote on X that the mayor was using taxpayer resources to teach people to evade accountability. Florida Sen. Rick Scott accused Mamdani of helping people evade ICE. On Fox News's "Hannity," contributor Joe Concha asked how the video was not illegal and said Mamdani should be brought before Congress.

HuffPost, on the left, leads with Concha's reaction on Fox News and frames it as an overreaction in its headline. It quotes Mamdani's advice at length and describes Trump-era crackdowns as chaotic. The Daily Mail and Daily Wire, on the right, lead with the video itself. The Daily Mail's headline calls Mamdani "woke" and says he was slammed for advising illegal immigrants, and it quotes LaLota and Scott. The Daily Wire's headline says the video tells New Yorkers how to "evade" ICE. It adds details on the settings covered, taxpayer-funded legal services and the police statement. All three quote the same advice. They differ on who they feature: a Fox commentator on the left, and Republican officials or the mayor's own words on the right. Alternative and independent outlets had not reported the story at the time of writing; left-leaning and right-leaning outlets had.