DHS defends ICE shooting of immigrant in New York City
Senior Homeland Security officials defended ICE officers who shot and wounded Dominican immigrant Oscar Bergal in New York City while his 5-year-old son was in the car. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin blamed Bergal for endangering the child and said officers did not know the child was present. Officials said Bergal rammed ICE vehicles and accelerated toward officers before they fired.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said at a Washington briefing that officers did not know a child was in the vehicle, while asserting Bergal did. Enforcement and Removal Operations official Marcos Charles described how ICE tried to arrest Bergal, 28, on Thursday afternoon, using two vehicles to block him. According to that account, Bergal refused to get out, hit the ICE vehicles, then drove toward other officers, prompting gunfire.
Bergal was hit superficially in the neck by a bullet or fragment, according to Charles. He was arrested, given initial medical aid, and hospitalized. NYPD body-camera video showed city officers took him to the hospital; the department said it was not part of the immigration arrest.
The case may intensify public scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics, especially when children are nearby. Immigrant communities in New York and elsewhere could feel greater fear during arrests, while officers may face heightened pressure over use-of-force decisions. The child involved may experience lasting trauma. Local-federal tensions could grow if city police and ICE roles are debated. As details emerge, advocates and officials may use the episode to argue for clearer safety protocols.