New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and other elected officials asked the owners of private parking lots and garages on Friday to block federal immigration officers from using their properties as staging areas, The Associated Press reported. The letter, posted by the mayor's office, carries 112 signatures, including members of Congress and state and city lawmakers.

"In solidarity with immigrant New Yorkers and in our shared commitment to the City we love, we ask that you do not rent, lend, or otherwise make your property available to ICE as a staging area for its enforcement operations," the letter reads, according to AP. "Make it known to ICE that it is not authorized to use your garages and lots."

The letter says the city already bars outside law enforcement agencies from staging on city property unless they have a judicial warrant or qualify for certain legal exceptions, AP reported. "But these laws govern City property, not the private lots and garages that you operate," it adds.

The New York Post reported on Thursday that it had obtained a draft of the letter, which was being circulated among local lawmakers as City Hall sought more signers. The draft cited at least three other cases of ICE using private lots in the city, the Post reported.

The letter came about a week after immigration officers shot Oscar Belgal, 28, during an arrest as he rode in a car with his young son, AP reported. The October 8 shooting was in Marble Hill, the Post reported. The officers had been using a nearby private lot as a staging area, according to the letter, AP reported. Federal officials say the officers believed their lives were in danger and fired only after Belgal smashed his car into two government vehicles and sped toward them, AP reported.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson slammed the letter in a statement, AP reported: "Mayor Mamdani should be grateful to our brave law enforcement officers for cleaning up the streets of NYC since he won't. Luckily, no terminated parking will stop ICE from deporting criminal illegal aliens to make New York safe again." A DHS spokesperson separately said ICE officers did not use the Target parking lot near the shooting as a staging ground that day, and that officers are legally allowed to use public parking lots, Gothamist reported.

What we know: Mamdani and other Democrats asked private garage and lot owners on Friday not to let ICE use their properties, and DHS rejected the request.
What we don't: How many owners will agree, and whether ICE will change where it stages its operations.