New York — NEW YORK (AP) — An immigration enforcement crackdown targeting vendors on Manhattan’s famous Canal Street descended into chaos Tuesday after large groups of angry New Yorkers surrounded federal agents and tried to stop them from driving, leading to arrests and violent confrontations along a busy downtown corridor.
The standoff began shortly after 4 p.m., as federal agents fanned out through a section of Chinatown that had long served as a not-so-secret market for handbags, watches, perfume, electronics and other goods.
An Associated Press reporter observed dozens of agents detaining a street vendor selling flashy smartphone cases, one of a number of arrests in the area.
In response, a group of protesters, many of whom appeared to be on their way home from work, surrounded the masked officers, attempted to block their car while chanting “ICE out of New York” and calling on other pedestrians to join them.
Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol and other federal offices then attempted to clear the streets, in some cases pushing protesters to the ground and threatening them with pepper spray before arresting them.
As more New Yorkers joined the fray, some federal agents withdrew on foot, followed by jeering protesters and honking vehicle horns. Additional federal agents armed with long rifles and tactical gear also arrived in a military tactical vehicle.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said agents were conducting an enforcement operation against sellers of “counterfeit goods.”
“During this law enforcement operation, the rioters, who were shouting obscenities, became violent and obstructed law enforcement duties including blocking vehicles and assaulting law enforcement,” she said.
At least one person has been arrested for assaulting an officer, McLaughlin said. It did not respond to a request regarding the number of detained vendors.
The sweep came days after a conservative influencer participated video On X shows a group of men selling bags on the street, urging the official ICE account to “check this angle.”
While clashes broke out between immigration authorities and demonstrators Played in Los Angeles and other citiesHowever, such scenes have been rare on the streets of New York City, which Mayor Eric Adams attributed in part to his working relationship with President Donald Trump’s administration.
Trump threatened to send federal forces to the city if Zahran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, wins the elections within two weeks.
An FBI spokesman said Tuesday that special agents were involved in New York’s immigration enforcement efforts in response to a request from the Department of Homeland Security to assist with “major operations.”
Mayor Eric Adams said the city was not involved in Tuesday’s sweep and was still gathering details.
“Our administration has been clear that undocumented New Yorkers trying to achieve their American dreams should not be the target of law enforcement, and should instead focus resources on violent criminals,” he said.
In a statement, Murad Al-Awawda, head of the New York Immigration Coalition, accused the Trump administration of trying to create a “violent scene” on the city’s streets.
He said: “This operation has nothing to do with public safety, but rather to terrorize migrant families and communities.”