New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday blasted the federal government for waging a "campaign of violence and terror" against the immigrant communities he described as the backbone of the city.He made the statements during an announcement that he and five other sanctuary jurisdictions are suing the Trump administration over a new rule expanding how immigration officials determine whether applicants are likely to become a public charge."The federal government has waged a campaign of violence and terror," Mamdani said."ICE has broken into our neighbors' homes, work sites and schools.And it has targeted those who have come to our country in search of refuge and in search of opportunity.
These actions are an assault on our civic fabric, on our shared values.And no matter how much destruction they have already caused, it continues."MAMDANI, LETITIA JAMES SUE TO BLOCK TRUMP ADMIN FROM REFUSING IMMIGRANTS OVER WELFARE STATUSFILE — New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a news conference in Queens on Nov.
5, 2025.Mamdani said ICE has targeted immigrant homes, workplaces and schools across the city.
(Heather Khalifa/AP Photo)Mamdani further credited immigrants from around the world with helping build and sustain New York City, including by contributing to its infrastructure and public services."Immigrants from every country, from every continent, who speak every language and worship in every conceivable way, drive our buses and our trains, teach our children how to read, and tend to us when we are sick," Mamdani said."Immigrants fought for the 8-hour workday for fair pay and workplace protections that deliver dignity into the lives of so many," he added.AMERICA NEEDS WORKERS, BUT TRUMP'S POLICIES ARE SHARPLY CUTTING LEGAL IMMIGRATIONFILE — An ICE agent monitors asylum seekers in New York City on June 6, 2023.Mamdani accused federal immigration officials of targeting people seeking refuge and opportunity in the U.S.
(David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)The c...