The Communist Party USA’s New York organization and the Young Communist League have condemned the shooting of 28-year-old Dominican immigrant Oscar Belgal by a federal immigration agent in Manhattan, calling for criminal charges against the shooter.
CPUSA condemns ICE shooting and demands abolition
CPUSA demands Belgal’s release from immigration detention, and the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In the statement titled “We Will Not Let Trump’s Gestapo Terrorize Our City!” the October 8 shooting is described as an example of the escalating state violence against immigrant communities under Trump’s immigration crackdown.
The statement calls for public mobilization against ICE, a boycott of Target over its cooperation with immigration authorities, and an end to the agency’s impunity.
Father Shot During Immigration Enforcement
Belgal was shot in the neck during an attempted arrest on October 8 while driving with his five-year-old son in the back seat. An ICE agent fired seven rounds as the vehicle began to move.
The assault has continued beyond the shooting itself. After receiving medical treatment, Belgal was transferred to federal custody rather than being released. His lawyers subsequently reported that a bullet remained lodged in his neck and raised concerns about his access to adequate medical care while detained.
Communist Party Calls for Protests and Abolition
The New York Communist Party and Young Communist League place the Belgal case within a wider pattern of violence, expanding detention and inadequate legal accountability under the Trump administration. The statement also warns about increased ICE recruitment, tougher arrest targets and proposals to deploy immigration agents at polling places during the approaching midterm elections. CPUSA demands that the New York district attorney arrest and charge the agent identified in their statement, Brenden Cuni, with attempted murder. They also call on Mamdani to suspend contact with the Trump administration until Belgal is released, urge a boycott of Target over its alleged cooperation with ICE, and demand that Congress defund and abolish the agency.
"ICE detention centers are growing and more and more people are dying in them. There is now a ramped up ICE recruiting drive, and an increase in ICE arrest quotas, and increasing calls from prominent MAGA figureheads to deploy ICE agents to “guard the polls” during the midterms. This is happening in a political context of no legal accountability for ICE agents who commit murder against immigrants and US citizens. We do NOT tolerate ICE in our city."