Trump defends ICE agents and attacks Democrats at New York rally
President Donald Trump defended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents involved in a recent Bronx shooting and blamed Democratic officials for what he described as a crime surge during a rally in Syracuse, New York, on October 10, 2026.
Trump said the “heroes of ICE” who shot suspected gang member Oscar Belgal acted to stop a dangerous criminal, and he lamented that “ICE was scorned by New York politicians who set him loose.” He linked the incident to what he called “Dumocrat” sanctuary policies, claiming they endanger innocent New Yorkers.
“Kathy Hochul and the radical ‘Dumocrats’ have turned New York into a national embarrassment of high cost, high crime, massive corruption and communist politicians chasing jobs and businesses and wealth…out of the state,” Trump said.
He presented statistics saying that in less than two years New York had released illegal aliens convicted of over 48,000 crimes, including 8,600 assaults, 1,600 robberies and “thousands of rapes, kidnappings and murders.” Trump argued that Democratic sanctuary policies “always put innocent lives at risk.”
Speaking alongside New York’s Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, Trump pledged to partner with him to “straighten out” crime, illegal immigration and energy prices. He promised to ban sanctuary cities and states, cut electricity bills by up to 90 % by tapping local oil reserves, and to be in New York within 24 hours if Blakeman asked for federal assistance.
The rally, held at the Syracuse OneCenter, featured appearances by former boxer Mike Tyson, Yankees executive Randy Levine, and several GOP officials, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
Trump concluded by urging voters to “clean house in Albany on November 3rd, starting with Kathy Hochul,” framing the upcoming elections as a decisive moment for New York’s safety and economic future.
The remarks come as New York grapples with a recent ICE‑related shooting and ongoing debates over sanctuary policies ahead of the 2026 elections.
