On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “OutFront,” New York Democratic U.S. House nominee Darializa Avila Chevalier criticized New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch by saying that Tisch could have reminded people “this is a sanctuary city. But she didn’t. And, instead, she chose to demonize our neighbors” by going through the rap sheet of the man shot by ICE in New York.
Host Erin Burnett asked, “Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, she did go through Belgal’s rap sheet when she spoke, and Mayor Mamdani stood behind her last night as she was addressing reporters about the shooting. She has not condemned ICE or, of course, the NYPD — which she is the Commissioner of — for its response. And I know that you are now calling for Tisch to step down. But the Mayor who backs her — and of course, was a crucial backer for you in your primary — is standing behind her, as of now. What will you do?”
Chevalier answered, “I’m simply echoing what the folks in my district want to see and have called for. That is my role, right? As someone who was trusted by this community to represent them as a Democratic nominee for Congress, and I will continue to make those calls, because it is what is right, and it is what our community is calling for. To me, I was honestly disgusted to hear the way that the Commissioner refused to address and condemn ICE for its actions, refused to address, directly, the fact that, sanctuary policy was being violated, if not in — if — in spirit, if not in letter, right? By the fact that this was not immediately investigated and addressed. She herself could have taken the moment to condemn it, to remind folks that this is a sanctuary city. But she didn’t. And, instead, she chose to demonize our neighbors, right? And tried to pretend that there is any justification for having a rogue agency act as cowboys and shoot into a crowded street and shoot into a car where there was a five-year-old child.”