NY-13 Democratic candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, the daughter of Dominican immigrants, posted on X that ICE is terrorizing her community and that she will continue fighting the agency in Congress. The post, which referenced the need for a more just and humane immigration system, came days after federal agents shot a Dominican national in the neck during an enforcement operation in New York’s Marble Hill neighborhood while a five-year-old was in the vehicle. Online users, including self-identified legal immigrants, pushed back on the claim that she speaks for the community, with many stating they support ICE enforcement.
In the video, taken from an appearance on MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes, Avila Chevalier appears on a split screen with a host as on-screen text references a man shot by ICE agents while in a car with a five-year-old. She discusses the recent enforcement operation in New York’s Marble Hill neighborhood, stating that the situation was “horrific” and “completely preventable” because “we should not have an institution like ICE.”
She adds that “this was a father and a son” and that “these are human beings that are being shot on the street,” while arguing that local law enforcement could handle such matters and that current operations amount to meeting numerical quotas. The footage does not show the shooting itself or events immediately before or after it.
According to multiple news reports and official statements, federal agents shot 28-year-old Oscar Belgal, identified by the Department of Homeland Security as a Dominican national in the country illegally with prior arrests including for grand larceny, in the neck during a targeted operation on October 8 while a five-year-old was in the back seat; the child was unharmed.
DHS has said agents believed Belgal used his vehicle as a weapon after refusing orders to exit and that they were unaware of the child at the time; New York officials and Avila Chevalier have criticized the action and called for ICE’s abolition. Avila Chevalier, who describes herself as the daughter of Dominican immigrants, has long advocated for ending the agency and expanding pathways to citizenship.
Online Reactions to the NY Candidate’s Post
Some users who identified as immigrants rejected her claim to speak for the community. One wrote, “I’m an immigrant, and I’m revoking YOUR privileges, you communist! Immigrants like me stand with ICE. We came here to respect the immigration law, not to watch you undermine it. Don’t you dare pretend to speak for all of us!”
Others argued that illegal entry and criminal activity, rather than ICE enforcement, were the source of harm in the neighborhood. One commenter stated, “Don’t come into this country illegally and commit crimes. Don’t try and drive away from ICE,” while another said, “You have everything backwards. The illegal aliens are terrorizing our community. We have a legal immigration system already.”
Several replies called for stronger enforcement or removal, including “Denaturalize and deport” and “You know who terrorized the community? The illegal gang banger you sellout. Unreal. You’re supposed to represent AMERICANS. Go back to the Dominican Republic.”
Fewer responses and statements from local officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, aligned with her criticism of the specific enforcement action.
Avila Chevalier’s post adds to the ongoing public discussion around ICE operations in New York and the broader debate over immigration enforcement as she campaigns for Congress. The exchange reflects continued division over how those policies affect communities in the district.
