Dozens of protesters returned to 225th St and Marble Hill on Oct. 9 night following the shooting of Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old undocumented immigrant from the Dominican Republic, during a targeted enforcement operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Protesters demanded that ICE leave New York City, end the NYPD collaboration with ICE and called for the abolishment of the ICE altogether.
Hours after the shooting Belgal was detained and taken to New York-Presbyterian hospital for treatment of gunshot wound, booked at MDC-Brooklyn detention center, then transported to ICE custody in Newark, New Jersey on Friday evening.
Belgal was shot several times while his five-year-old child was in the backseat of the car by federal agent Brendan Cuni, who carried an assault rifle on public streets and has several pending cases related to alleged conduct while on duty.
ICE officers claim they were unaware of a five-year old present in the vehicle during the operation.
“In the attempt we used our vehicles to block him in. Mr. Belgal refused lawful orders to exhibit his vehicle. He then accelerated his vehicle, smashing into two of our government ICE vehicles and then weaponized his vehicle and proceeded to accelerate going towards other officers,” according to Marcos Charles, Head of ICE’s Deportation Wing,
Edited footage released by the NYPD does not show the actual shooting. However, the video shows ICE officers rushing toward a silver Honda as one officer smashes the driver-side window and another points his gun at Belgal from the front of the vehicle. It also shows bystanders fleeing and taking cover as officers approach Belgal’s vehicle.
The NYPD also released body camera footage showing the aftermath of the incident, when officers and emergency responders arrived at the scene and found Bergal wounded on the ground in ICE officers’ custody.
Another bodycam video reveals the NYPD carrying Belgal into custody after the shooting in which he was taken to the hospital for emergency medical attention, in which he was later detained by ICE.
After the arrest, immigration advocates such as the Make the Road New York who is representing Belgal, filed a court-order petition to block his deportation, which federal judges approved the petition.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal release a joint statement on the Marble-Hill shooting criticizing ICE enforcement across the city.
“The impunity with which these officers operate, including through reportedly disguising themselves in plainclothes and wielding military-style assault rifles on our streets, is dangerous and unacceptable. It is an operation of fear and intimidation that undermines public safety and makes us less safe,” they stated. “It is long past time for ICE to get out of New York City.”
The Trump administration has detained more than 65,000 people in 2026 in detention centers as part of the administration and Department of Homeland Security efforts to deport 1 million undocumented immigrants per year.
The Trace tracker has found 49 incidents where people were held at gunpoint by ICE. Nine people were killed, and 15 people were injured, including Belgal.
The following day, more than 1,000 protesters marched on Foley Square, while dozens gathered at 125th Street in Marble Hill. Organized by Behind Enemy Lines, the protest brought community members together to demand accountability from the NYPD, condemn police brutality, and call for the abolition of ICE enforcement in New York City.
“We know when ICE shoots a man like Oscar Belgal, that is just an end result of the NYPD criminalization of black and brown people all across the city. That is just the end stage of mass criminalization of immigrants, black people, and anyone who could have a target put on them,“ one protester told the Bronx Times.
“Here in Marble Hill, just like all across the city and all across the state and country ICE terrorizes communities, terrorizes families, and terrorizes anyone who lives their life on the street. People are afraid to go to business, people are afraid to go to work, kids are afraid to go to school.”
Democratic Latinos were also present alongside Behind Enemy Lines, distributing whistles, know-your-rights information, and community resources.
The protest faced resistance from some neighborhood residents who appeared to defend the ICE enforcement incident, citing Belgal’s prior arrest by the NYPD.
“I am outraged, but also grieving.” said a woman who is a teacher and lives in the community. “My first question when I saw the video I thought of who will be next?”
One person in the community defended the NYPD officers that arrived after the enforcement operation, not the ICE operation itself.
“When ICE had him here, if the precinct didn’t come, he wouldn’t have ever made it to that hospital” said Ms. Hawkins who lives in the building across from where the shooting happened. “They are taking a situation that may apply maybe somewhere else, and trying to apply that here and it doesn’t apply.”
Another woman drove by and yelled at protesters. “He was a criminal. He deserved it.”
Despite the resistance, some community members joined the protest, while others watched from their windows.
