On October 8, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot and injured Oscar Belgal, a Dominican immigrant, while attempting to apprehend him in New York City. His five-year-old son was in the back seat when agents opened fire, causing the vehicle to crash. Alianza Americas, a network of immigrant-led organizations, condemns this reckless use of force and the growing danger posed by aggressive immigration enforcement.
The shooting drew condemnation from New York City's mayor and the state's governor, prompting a response from the Secretary of Homeland Security. Rather than addressing ICE's dangerous actions, federal officials sought to justify the shooting by questioning Belgal's belonging in New York and portraying him as a dangerous foreigner. This reflects a broader politics of cruelty that uses immigration status and narratives of criminality to justify violence and undermine fundamental rights.
Immigration enforcement does not place agents above the law. The use of deadly force must be governed by necessity, proportionality, and accountability. Firing at a moving vehicle without regard for the safety of passengers or bystanders puts entire communities at risk. No one should have to live in fear of reckless enforcement practices or agents operating without meaningful oversight.
Oscar Belgal is a New Yorker because he lives in the city, and like any other human being, he has rights, including the right to life and bodily integrity. His son also has rights. ICE agents cannot fire their weapons and then assess the situation or realize there was a child in the car. Immigrants belong to the communities where they leave, regardless of their immigration status. Belonging is not dependent on immigration status. Humanity is not conditioned on immigration status.
This is not an isolated incident. There is a pattern of ICE and DHS agents using their weapons, putting public safety at risk. Congress has approved excessive funding for the Department of Homeland Security and its agencies, which is being used to hire ICE and CBP agents with insufficient vetting, deploy them without proper training, and even to pay for political advertising. To make things even worse, Congress has abdicated its oversight responsibilities. Expanding the power of an agency with a documented record of abuse while failing to strengthen oversight will only lead to more injuries, deaths, trauma, and family separations. Congress must establish stronger safeguards and hold these agencies accountable.
We will not remain silent. We call for a full, transparent, and independent investigation into the shooting of Oscar Belgal and accountability for those responsible for putting a 5-year-old at risk. It wasn't his father who endangered him; it was ICE agents who shot his father while driving with him in the back seat. Thirty years after the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), we must confront the legal framework that has enabled the expansion of immigration enforcement and contributed to the situation we face today.
We call on Congress to repeal IIRIRA and dismantle the laws and policies that have expanded immigration detention, deportation, and enforcement powers at the expense of human rights and due process. We demand an immigration system that prioritizes human dignity, accountability, and the protection of life and family unity. Congress must act to fundamentally transform our immigration laws and prevent further loss of life. Our belonging to our communities is not determined by immigration status, nationality, or length of residence, and our fundamental rights must never depend on proving that we belong.
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Alianza Americas is a transnational network of migrant-led organizations in the United States. We advocate for social justice, equity, and human rights in the Americas.
