WATCH: AOC opens up about meeting Zohran Mamdani, ICE activity in NYC
Progressive "Squad" leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., opened up about her breakfast with democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday, as well as ICE activity in her district.
Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive who is now seen as a leading voice in the Democratic Party as well as a possible 2028 presidential candidate, met with Mamdani on Wednesday morning at a "Communication and Organizing Skillshare Breakfast."
The congresswoman told Fox News Digital that she thought the meeting with Mamdani and other Democrats was "really positive."
"It’s just important for folks to meet people in person, kick the tires and talk between themselves," she said.
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This comes as many Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have yet to endorse Mamdani, despite his winning the Democratic mayoral nomination. Several top Democrats have criticized Mamdani for refusing to condemn the use of the phrase "globalize the intifada," which is seen by many as calling for violence against Jewish people.
Mamdani recently said he would not use the phrase and would "discourage" others from using it as well, but did not fully condemn the slogan.
Along with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Ocasio-Cortez was one of the first national leaders to endorse Mamdani’s campaign before his surprise upset against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Before the Wednesday meeting, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters she was eager for people to meet him "face to face" and "hear what he has to say about making New York affordable for working people," while championing issues like rent freezes, affordable childcare and grocery prices.
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In response to Democrats who are still on the fence about Mamdani or who have criticized his policies, Ocasio-Cortez told Fox News Digital, "I always think that the best approach to these things is to hear it directly from the person themselves instead of, you know, whatever the media static is or whatever it may be."
"If anyone has any reservations, you know, I think it's important to meet and hear it straight from the source and make a determination from there," she added.
Regarding recent ICE immigration enforcement activity targeting illegal gang members in her district, Ocasio-Cortez said, "If you are engaged in violence, if you are hurting women, children, of course, you're subject to crackdowns from the federal law and deportation."
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However, she went on to claim that "the problem is that a lot of ICE activity is wasting resources not on people who are actually hurting and engaged in violence, but they're raiding kitchens and people who have been doing hard, honest work for years, paying taxes, being productive members of society."
"We shouldn't be wasting our resources going after our neighbors," she went on. "Everyone needs to be held accountable to the law. If you hurt somebody, you hurt somebody, that's the way that it is. And if you're undocumented, and you hurt someone, you know, that puts you on the track of deportation."