Mayor Mamdani, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and over 100 other New York elected officials implored New York City parking lot owners to shut their lots to ICE in a letter sent Thursday.
The letter, directed at parking lot and garage owners and operators in the five boroughs, asks them not to provide spaces to ICE as staging areas. To allow ICE to operate on their property gives the immigration agents “a launching point for operations that have terrified and terrorized local communities,” the letter said.
The letter, from over federal, state and city lawmakers, comes a week after ICE agents shot a 28-year-old man in the neck in Marble Hill, injuring him, while his young son sat in his car.
Several elected officials, including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, claim immigration agents had used a Target parking lot near the shooting as a staging area, but Target, as well as a co-owner of the lot, said they were not cooperating with ICE.
While the city’s sanctuary policies prevent city property from being used by ICE, privately-owned lots are fair game.
The feds have operated out of bank parking lots on Northern Boulevard in Queens and a garage on Morton Street in Manhattan, the officials said in their letter.
“Owners who refuse to take part in these federal civil immigration enforcement operations advance public safety by protecting their own staff and customers, as well as fellow New Yorkers beyond their lots and garages,” the letter reads.
“They also tell every immigrant New Yorker that they are treasured members of this community and that our City welcomes them with open arms. I hope you will stand with us,” the letter said.