Protesters Confront ICE Agents During New York Chinatown Operation

By Kimberly Hayek

An immigration enforcement operation targeting street vendors on Manhattan’s iconic Canal Street turned into chaos Tuesday when protestors surrounded federal agents in an attempt to prevent their departure, leading to at least one arrest.

The incident took place just after 4 p.m., as federal agents conducted an immigration raid on a part of Chinatown known for imitation luxury accessories, watches, scents, electronics, and more.

One reporter from The Associated Press saw agents detain a street vendor selling decorated smartphone cases as part of numerous arrests that took place in the vicinity.

A group of protestors then encircled the officers and tried to stop their vehicles from leaving while screaming “ICE out of New York” and calling other passersby to join their cause, with some doing so.

Several federal agents retreated on foot, with protestors following them and honking their car horns. Federal reinforcements arrived in a military vehicle with long guns and tactical gear.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said the agents were in the middle of an enforcement operation targeting the sellers of “counterfeit goods.”

“During this law enforcement operation, rioters who were shouting obscenities, became violent and obstructed law enforcement duties including blocking vehicles and assaulting law enforcement,” she said.

Agents arrested one person for assaulting an officer, according to McLaughlin.

The sweep happened on the heels of a video posted on X on Oct. 19 by a conservative influencer, Savannah Hernandez, revealing men selling bags along the street, mentioning the official account for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and asking them to “check this corner out.”

Federal enforcement officials are no stranger to such attacks during enforcement operations, as they’ve experienced them in Los Angeles and other cities. Similar scenes have not played out as often in New York, with Mayor Eric Adams crediting his relationship with President Donald Trump’s administration.

But Adams said his city was not involved with Tuesday’s sweep.

“Our administration has been clear that undocumented New Yorkers trying to pursue their American Dreams should not be the target of law enforcement, and resources should instead be focused on violent criminals,” Adams said.

Trump has threatened that he will send federal troops to the city if New York State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, prevails in the mayoral election, set to take place in two weeks.

An FBI spokesperson said Tuesday that special agents were en route to the city after a request from DHS to assist with “major operations.”

Murad Awawdeh, president of the New York Immigration Coalition, accused the Trump administration in a statement of attempting to create a “violent spectacle” on the streets of New York.

“This operation had nothing to do with public safety and everything to do with terrorizing immigrant families and communities,” he said.

In her Oct. 19 post on social media, Hernandez claimed that African illegal immigrants are running a black market on the corner of Broadway and Canal St. in the city.

“The entire sidewalk is filled with illegals who state they are from Senegal and I watched as they fled police,” she said.

Hernandez said that at one point the presence of police nearby led many of the vendors to gather their items and leave. She stated one told her they are operating without licenses, and the police will confiscate their items if they are caught.

“There were at least 20-30 illegals in the area conducting business that they know is against the law, however, this seems to be a common occurrence on this street and business is booming,” Hernandez said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.