The short version
- Resumen Latinoamericano reported that Juan Dalmau and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke against ICE raids in Puerto Rico on Friday at the SOMOS conference
- Dalmau criticized a Senate-approved measure backed by the PPD and PNP that allows immigration authorities into schools according to Misión Política
- Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, Rep. Adriano Espaillat and Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández called for an end to the operations and for ICE to leave the island Resumen Latinoamericano reported
- About 60,000 Dominicans live in Puerto Rico representing 60 percent of the immigrant population per Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico data cited by both outlets
Opposition at SOMOS conference
Puerto Rico Independent Party (PIP) Secretary General Juan Dalmau and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined voices on Friday to condemn raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Puerto Rico. The joint statement was made during the annual SOMOS conference, which brings together Hispanic and New York political leaders. Resumen Latinoamericano reported that the event took place at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan.
Dalmau posted on social media that he and Mamdani raised their voices in defense of migrants. Both Resumen Latinoamericano and Misión Política reported that the actions respond to unease in the migrant community since ICE began large-scale operations in Puerto Rico in early 2025.
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What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Puerto Rico no puede convertirse en territorio de persecución contra nuestros hermanos caribeños y latinoamericanos
Our translation: Puerto Rico cannot become a territory of persecution against our Caribbean and Latin American brothers and sisters
The source's own statement, as quoted by Resumen Latinoamericano. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Criticism of school access law
Dalmau criticized a recent legislative measure approved in the Senate with support from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) and New Progressive Party (PNP) that permits immigration authorities to enter school premises. Both outlets quoted him saying schools should be spaces of education and protection. The criticism was delivered during his address at the conference.
The manifestations form part of growing discontent toward migration policies of the Donald Trump administration, Resumen Latinoamericano reported. Rejection of federal presence also extended to an event at the El Puente community organization in Río Piedras where Mamdani joined New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
Calls to end operations
Federal lawmakers Nydia Velázquez and Adriano Espaillat, together with Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner in Washington Pablo José Hernández, demanded an end to the operations and for ICE to leave Puerto Rican territory, according to both Resumen Latinoamericano and Misión Política.
The raids directly affect the island's immigrant population. Data from the Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico cited by the outlets show nearly 60,000 Dominican citizens reside in the archipelago, making up 60 percent of the total immigrant population in a place of just over three million inhabitants. Many undertake risky crossings of the Mona Channel in small boats known as yolas, a trend that has grown to include more Haitians in recent months.
Where the sources differ
Resumen Latinoamericano and Misión Política agree on all key facts including the date of the joint statement, the participants, the criticism of the school measure, the names of the federal officials who demanded ICE leave, and the immigrant population statistics from the Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico. The two reports are nearly identical in wording and contain the same quotes and background on migrant crossings. No numerical or factual conflicts appear between them.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state the exact start date or scale of current ICE raids in Puerto Rico, whether any specific arrests or deportations have occurred recently, how many schools could be affected by the new law, or what actions if any the Puerto Rico government plans to take in response to the politicians' calls. They also do not indicate whether the Trump administration has commented on the criticism or if legal action such as the threatened New York lawsuit is moving forward.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Estados Unidos. Políticos de Puerto Rico y Nueva York se plantan para rechazar redadas del ICE
- Reporting Políticos de Puerto Rico y Nueva York se plantan para rechazar redadas del ICE
How we checked this
Both Resumen Latinoamericano and Misión Política covered the joint appearance by Juan Dalmau and Zohran Mamdani as well as the broader calls by Velázquez, Espaillat and Hernández. The immigrant population figures rest on data from the Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico cited by both. The long quote from Dalmau on schools appears in both reports but only a shorter excerpt was used here.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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