The DSA, a group that supported Mamdani's election, accused the NYPD of collaborating with ICE agents and mistreating protesters who gathered at the scene. The organization stated that ICE is a "terrorist agency" that should be expelled from New York City and abolished.
"Jessica Tisch must get ICE out of New York and end NYPD complicity with these terrorists. If the commissioner can't put a stop to these injustices, she must be fired," the DSA said in a press release. It remains unclear how Tisch could compel ICE to leave the city.
A spokesperson for the mayor stated that there are no plans to remove Commissioner Tisch, but that the mayor and the NYPD will review the events of the past 24 hours. The incident marks a significant escalation of ICE violence in the city.
Eyewitnesses and city officials reported that an ICE agent shot Oscar Belgal while he was in a car with his 5-year-old son. Belgal was in federal custody on Friday. The DSA also criticized Commissioner Tisch for detailing Belgal's criminal history at a press conference.
The DSA has previously criticized Tisch's leadership, including policies on low-level offenses and the use of the Strategic Response Group, a unit known for its aggressive tactics at protests. While the NYPD stated the SRG unit did not respond to this specific protest, a former deputy commissioner noted that clearing roads for federal agents to depart is standard procedure.
One ally of the mayor, Darializa Avila Chevalier, also called for Tisch to step down, citing her own experience being pushed by police officers at the scene. The mayor himself reportedly attempted to secure Belgal's release by speaking with federal officials.