The immigration police operation took place on Thursday afternoon local time in the Bronx borough of New York. The shooting was ICE’s first use of firearms in the city and has provoked strong reactions.
The man who was shot had his five-year-old son in the car at the time.
On Friday, ICE defended the operation at a joint press conference with the US Department of Homeland Security.
"He refused to obey orders to exit the vehicle. He used the vehicle by driving it into two ICE vehicles. Our trained agents deemed their lives and the lives of the public to be in danger, and then fired shots," said Marcos Charles of ICE.
ICE also said its agents were unaware that the boy was in the back seat. The boy was not injured in the incident.
The man suffered superficial injuries to his neck and is being held in a facility outside New York, according to authorities.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has asked ICE to cease its operations in the city.
"No, we will not cease our operations (in the city)," said Markwayne Mullin.
