A sudden federal sweep through Canal Street in Chinatown has City Hall and New York lawmakers demanding answers.
Agents wearing Homeland Security Investigations jackets moved through the crowded corridor Tuesday afternoon, stopping vendors and inspecting merchandise as stunned shoppers watched. The scene mirrored others around the country over the past few months where individuals suspected of being illegal immigrants have been detained at locations including schools and places of employment.
By late Wednesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed nine arrests in what the agency called a “targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation” focused on criminal activity linked to counterfeit goods.
ICE said those arrested were undocumented immigrants with prior criminal convictions, including robbery, burglary, domestic violence, drug trafficking, and forgery.
“Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the United States,” said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement. “Under President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem, ICE is restoring law and order.”
The agency added that five of those arrested had entered the U.S. and were previously released under the Biden Administration.
'People Are Scared'
Awa Ngam, a longtime Canal Street vendor, said fear spread quickly among workers.
“I think people are scared. A lot of people are scared,” Ngam told Military.com. “If I wasn’t legal, I would be scared too, because I left my kids at home or at school to come here. What if I went under custody? What if they took me? What would happen to my kids? … They’re ripping families apart.”
Ngam said she felt heartbroken seeing federal agents question vendors.
“I feel sad. I’m saddened because they should not walk around and ask people for their passport in America,” she added.
Nearby, Michael, who sells sunglasses on the same block, said the raids left workers shaken.
“I’m American. I pay tax. I’m like everybody else,” he said. “You have no right to go out in public and scare your own people—and you scare the community. It doesn’t make sense.”
He added: “What happened to liberty? What happened to freedom? Americans—what happened to America? Can the president of the United States tell us what happened?”
Local, Federal Officials Respond
The NYPD referred Military.com to a post on X stating that it “had no involvement in the federal operation.”
New York City Hall did not respond to requests for comment on whether it had been notified in advance of the sweep.
DHS told Military.com the operation focused on counterfeit-goods enforcement, part of a broader federal effort to crack down on illegal merchandise sales. Officials did not say how many people were questioned or detained and declined to confirm whether any immigration-related actions occurred.
City Agencies Distancing Themselves
New York City's Department of Sanitation said its officers did not take part in the Canal Street operation and were unaware of any coordination with federal agencies.
The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection also said it had no inspectors assigned to the area that day and was not briefed on any enforcement activity.
Assemblymember Grace Lee, who represents Chinatown, called the reports “deeply concerning” and said her office is demanding answers about the purpose and scope of the federal operation.
“Our city’s small business owners and street vendors deserve transparency and respect,” Lee said in a statement. “No community should be targeted or intimidated without clear justification.”
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams called the reports “disturbing” and said she will seek a full accounting from both federal and city agencies.
“No one should be left in the dark when federal officers appear in our neighborhoods,” she said.
City and state officials said they’re still seeking details from DHS about whether any local coordination or prior notice occurred.
