New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a video in Spanish on Friday, October 23, to explain how to act when encountering immigration agents.
The message, shared on Instagram, addresses encounters at homes and on the streets, and also recommends seeking legal advice before signing immigration documents.
According to the EFE news agency, the mayor accompanied the recommendations with a message of support for immigrants living in the city.
The publication comes as Mamdani defends the city's immigrant protection policies against the deportation strategy of the Donald Trump administration.
🟡 #EnNoticia | The Mayor of New York explains in Spanish to migrants how to respond if ICE knocks on their doors
The Mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, shared this message on October 23 on his X account to guide the migrant community in the face of ICE interventions. The initiative aims to inform residents about their basic constitutional guarantees regarding privacy, silence, and due process.
✍🏻RT
https://t.co/59TVsmfLZ0
— Globovisión (@globovision) October 23, 2026
. One of the key points is to review the document presented by the agents before allowing them to enter a home or private area.
An administrative immigration order is not the same as a judicial one. The latter must be signed by a judge or magistrate.
In the video, Mamdani recommends asking the agents to slide the document under the door to examine it without opening.
The distinction is important: in general, ICE needs a valid judicial order or consent to enter private spaces; there are legal exceptions for emergency circumstances.
Mamdani also reminds viewers of the right to remain silent during an encounter with agents and advises asking if the person is free to leave.
The phrase in English is “Am I free to go?”. If the answer is affirmative, he recommends leaving the area calmly.
Remaining silent does not mean lying: rights guides advise avoiding false statements and fraudulent documents during any interaction with authorities.
If there is a detention, the recommendation is to request a lawyer and avoid physical resistance, even if it is believed that the agents violated rights.
Another piece of advice from the mayor is to seek legal guidance before signing documents or making decisions related to an immigration case.
Understanding the content is fundamental: a signature can have consequences for the options available to defend a case or stay in the United States.
New York offers access to free and confidential migration guidance, with attention in the language of the person seeking help.
YOU MAY BE INTERESTED: ICE operation in Houston ends with crash and arrest of Mexican man after trying to evade them
The information in the video serves as a general guide; evaluating orders, backgrounds, and procedures requires reviewing the particular circumstances with a professional.
The Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs offers guidance through 800-354-0365, one of the city's available resources.
You can also call 311 and ask for “Immigration Legal” to get information about city-funded legal assistance.
Municipal support centers offer services in different languages, regardless of the immigration status of the person seeking guidance.
Mamdani closed his intervention by defending the right to protest and reiterating his commitment to supporting New York's immigrant communities.
SOURCE: EFE, lavanguardia
