NEW YORK – Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it conducted a “targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation” on Canal Street in Lower Manhattan Tuesday afternoon.
Federal officers were seen approaching individuals near Canal Street between Church and Broadway. The stretch of Canal Street where the operation took place is typically crowded with street vendors but appeared mostly empty as officers moved through the area.
What we know:
More than a dozen federal officers wearing vests were seen walking along the sidewalk, some carrying zip ties. Video from the scene showed officers detaining at least one individual, though the person’s identity and the reason for the arrest remain unclear.
By early evening, a large crowd had gathered outside 26 Federal Plaza, the federal building that houses ICE offices, where tensions were rising. Multiple elected officials also gathered outside the building to speak out against the arrests.
Advocates at the scene claimed between 15 and 40 people were “abducted by ICE” during the operation and said two protesters, believed to be U.S. citizens, were also arrested.
FOX 5 NY has not confirmed the number of arrests.
“As difficult as it may be when this happens, we don’t want to give them any excuse to rain down more violence on New York City.”
— Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
In a statement Tuesday evening, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said multiple federal agencies — including ICE, the FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI, and CBP — conducted “a targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation on Canal Street in New York City, focused on criminal activity relating to selling 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,” McLaughlin said. “Already one rioter has been arrested for assault on a federal officer. We have more details of the criminals arrested as soon as they become available.”
ICE in Lower Manhattan 
FOX 5 NY’s Arthur Chi’en reported live from Lower Manhattan, saying federal agents appeared to carry out an investigation targeting street vendors, adding that the agents, presumed to be with ICE, were wearing tactical vests and had multiple vehicles in the area.
Video from SkyFOX showed a chaotic scene where agents and pedestrians appeared to be in a standoff.
The stretch of Canal Street where the video was taken is typically crowded with street vendors, but it appeared mostly empty during the operation. In one video posted on social media, a passerby can be heard warning, “ICE is here,” prompting people to flee.
By early evening, a large crowd had gathered outside 26 Federal Plaza, the federal building that houses ICE offices, where tensions were rising.
Council Member Marte responds
What we don’t know:
The full scope of the federal operation and the total number of arrests have not yet been confirmed.
The NYPD said it had no involvement in the federal operation that took place on Canal Street Tuesday afternoon, distancing itself from the enforcement activity.
What they’re saying:
Council Member Christopher Marte, who represents the area, issued a statement condemning the operation, calling it a “horrifying display of federal overreach.”
“ICE has no place in New York City, especially not in the heart of Chinatown, terrorizing our immigrant neighbors with military vehicles and masked agents,” Marte said. “This kind of escalation is unnecessary, unacceptable, and antithetical to our city’s values as a sanctuary for all people.”
Marte said that while the challenges around street vending are real, “federal agents storming our streets and targeting community members is not the solution.”
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said he spoke with the police commissioner and is still waiting for more information. He said from conversations he’s had, it appears the tip that led to the operation may have come from a social media post about vendors in Chinatown.
Williams said if that’s the case and the operation was sparked by simple street vending — it shows “how scary things are right now” and claimed “the President is trying to trap people.”
“Hopefully in a few months we’ll have a mayor that cares,” he added. “We don’t want to give them any excuse to reign down more violence on New York City.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Source: This report is based on information from SkyFOX and X.