Mayor threatens federal lawsuit over ICE parking

More than 100 New York elected officials joined Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a letter sent on Monday demanding that the Department of Homeland Security stop using city-owned parking lots for immigration enforcement operations. The mayor warned that the city would sue the federal government if the use of these properties continues without permission.

Mamdani stated that the use of municipal lots by Immigration and Customs Enforcement is unauthorized and therefore illegal. He specifically identified the parking lot outside the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park as a site where agents have staged operations in surrounding areas. The letter marks a second written request from the mayor in one month, following a previous message urging private lot owners to deny access to federal agents.

The dispute centers on the lack of formal approval from the city. Mamdani said ICE has not secured authorization to use city property for immigration enforcement. He emphasized that the city does not approve of this practice and intends to use legal action to stop what he described as unlawful commandeering.

DHS responded to the letter by asserting that its operations are fully authorized under federal law. A spokesperson for the department said ICE is not slowing down its activities in the five boroughs. The official criticized the mayor for not taking similar action against private entities and stated that parking lot restrictions will not stop ICE from deporting individuals.

The conflict has drawn attention to specific incidents in Queens neighborhoods such as Corona and Elmhurst. Brian Romero, a soon-to-be Assemblymember, reported seeing two people arrested by ICE in Elmhurst last week. He alleged that agents maced one local resident before placing them on the ground during the operation.

Assemblymember and State Senate candidate Jessica González-Rojas supported the mayor's letter. She noted that parking lots at locations like Home Depot, the Bulova Corporate Center, and even an elementary school have been used as staging grounds in her district. González-Rojas said these uses bring fear to immigrant families who worry about encountering federal agents at work, in grocery stores, or at school.

González-Rojas argued that public parks and community spaces should be safe for families and children. She described the reported presence of ICE vehicles near a city-run preschool and the New York Hall of Science as alarming for residents who rely on these spaces. If she wins Tuesday's election, the Hall of Science lot will fall within her new State Senate district, currently held by Jessica Ramos.

Earlier this year, local officials questioned the use of the Bulova Corporate Center lot on Astoria Boulevard by ICE. The building's owners denied that the property had been used by federal agents. The current dispute follows a month-long campaign by city leaders to limit federal access to both private and public parking facilities.