ICE Agents Question Indian-Origin US Citizen About NYC Mayor Mamdani During Work Hours

Donald Trump has been advocating for extensive deportation measures across the United States.

An Indian-origin employee of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) was subjected to interrogation regarding his immigration status while performing his official duties.

According to The Chicago Times, the incident occurred while the man, who holds US citizenship, was working on a construction project in the vicinity of Park Ridge, Illinois.

The report, citing Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's office, stated that three masked ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents approached him, questioning not only his immigration status but also inquiring about Zohran Mamdani, NYC's newly elected mayor. Mamdani achieved a historic victory against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, becoming NYC's first Muslim mayor, first of South Asian heritage, and first born on the African continent.

Pritzker condemned the ICE agents' actions, expressing concern about "questioning US citizens apparently based on the colour of their skin," as reported by the Chicago Times.

In his statement obtained by the Chicago Times, Pritzker declared, "I am appalled they would stop and question a state employee working hard on the job to help improve our state's roads and infrastructure. Our state employees should be able to go to work and do their jobs without masked agents targeting them for no legitimate reason."

The incident prompted local residents, including students and teachers from Park Ridge-Niles School District 64, to remain indoors after reports of the encounter surfaced.

District superintendent Ben Collins acknowledged that "he was aware of reports regarding ICE agents in Park Ridge neighbourhoods near some of the district's schools."

However, the Department of Homeland Security has refuted claims of ICE agents conducting patrols in the Park Ridge area of Illinois, according to the report.

Donald Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement has triggered protests and allegations of rights violations. When asked during CBS's "60 Minutes" program if ICE agents have "gone too far," Trump responded: "I think they haven't gone far enough."

Trump further claimed that "liberal judges" appointed by Barack Obama and Joe Biden had "held back" immigration operations.

After returning to the White House, Donald Trump has intensified his push for mass deportations, which was a central promise of his re-election campaign.

The increased ICE raids have sparked protests and unrest throughout the country, particularly in Democratic-led cities where Trump's administration has deployed "surges" of immigration agents.