Agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) conducted a raid on Canal Street, in the Chinatown neighborhood, on Tuesday afternoon, arresting several street vendors in an operation that provoked a strong and immediate reaction from passersby and immigrant advocates.
The operation began around 3 pm, in the area of Center and Canal Streets, where ICE agents questioned street vendors.
Videos obtained by our sister publication, amNewYork, show a crowd of New Yorkers surrounding the federal agents as they carried out the operation in Lower Manhattan. Within minutes, officers also arrested some of those present, further igniting the crowd’s outrage.
The New Yorkers took out their phones and began recording the ICE operation. Some yelled at officers, calling the arrests “disgusting” and demanding they stop while they tackled a person to the ground.
One of the witnesses yelled at them: “Do you feel good doing this? I bet your parents are very proud of you… you should be ashamed.”
ICE raid in Chinatown turns chaotic
When officers attempted to arrest a vendor apparently of African origin, the crowd exploded with outrage. Some began yelling in the officers’ faces, comparing them to Nazis and calling them fascists.
As the officers returned to their vehicles, several New Yorkers ran into the street, and the officers began pushing and knocking people over. This unleashed more anger among those present, who joined the crowd and confronted the officers.
The feds brought out batons and riot shields to control the crowd, hitting some protesters in the process.
The crowd followed the agents to 26 Federal Plaza, where several arrests have been made in recent months, chanting “ICE out of New York.” There they encountered more federal agents, some armed with machine guns and prepared for a confrontation.
As the officers entered Federal Plaza, the NYPD arrived with riot gear to contain the crowd. At 5:20 p.m., many protesters were still gathered in front of the building.
“This doesn’t make anyone safer,” Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, told amNewYork. “It actually makes everyone much more unsafe, because people stop trusting the police or the authorities.”
Awawdeh said his organization verifies the number of detainees and provides legal assistance to those affected, and accused ICE of acting for political motivations, influenced by calls from far-right figures on social media demanding intervention.
The raid occurred two days after Turning Point USA contributor Savannah Hernández posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) asking ICE to “check” the corner of Broadway and Canal Street. In his post, which surpassed 4.3 million views, Hernandez claimed that “20 to 30 illegal immigrants” from Senegal operated a “black market” without licenses.
Councilman Christopher Marte, who represents the area, condemned the raid as a “terrifying display of federal abuse of power.”
“ICE has no place in New York City, much less in the heart of Chinatown, terrorizing our immigrant neighbors with military vehicles and hooded agents,” Marte said in a statement. “This type of escalation is unnecessary, unacceptable and contrary to the values of our city as a sanctuary for all.”
Marte acknowledged that the challenges of street commerce on Canal Street “are real and must be addressed,” but stressed that “federal agents invading our streets and attacking community members is not the solution.”
He also criticized Mayor Eric Adams for “collaborating with federal immigration authorities” and allowing the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group to operate alongside ICE, calling it a “clear violation of New York’s sanctuary city laws.”
“Our communities deserve safety, dignity and accountability, not fear, raids or collaboration with agencies that should not operate here,” Marte added.
An NYPD spokesperson assured amNewYork that the department was not involved in the federal operation and that officers were only deployed to 26 Federal Plaza to maintain order and “ensure public safety.”
The spokesperson explained that the mobilization was similar to other responses to previous protests, in order to protect both the rights of free expression and citizen safety.
Federal officials had no comment on the incident.
A City Hall spokeswoman, Kayla Mamelak, confirmed that the Adams administration was aware of the federal operation and gathering information, but reiterated that the NYPD had no involvement.
“We never cooperate with federal agencies on civil deportation matters, in accordance with local laws, and we have no relationship with this operation,” Mamelak said. “Mayor Adams has been clear: undocumented New Yorkers seeking to fulfill their American dream should not be targeted by law enforcement; resources should be focused on violent criminals.”
A City Hall official added that high-level staff were monitoring the protests at Federal Plaza, and that the NYPD had the situation under control. He added that if the situation escalates or someone interferes with legal action, the mayor has instructed the NYPD to intervene.
