An immigration sweep targeted New York City vendors just days after a conservative influencer tagged Immigration and Customs Enforcement on social media to “check this corner out.”
Hundreds of angry New Yorkers clashed with federal agents Tuesday afternoon at the city’s famed Canal Street, an area which for years has been a not-so-underground market for knock-off designer handbags, watches, perfumes and sunglasses as well as phones and other electronics.
Protesters attempted to block immigration agents from carrying out the operation when scenes turned ugly.
The day after the raid, which resulted in nine arrests of migrants and four protestors, signs were posted on light poles in the area. They warned migrants about he raids and told them to call for help from inside a “non-public” space such as a church, where agents need a judicial warrant to make arrests.
On Wednesday, Canal Street was quiet with few vendors when typically many are out selling knock-off items.
"I was like, whoa. You usually see them all, packed full, everywhere on the streets. Today, pretty quiet," tourist Aye Soe told ABC 7.
On Tuesday, Savanah Hernandez, a right-wing political commentator with Turning Point USA, appeared to take credit for the anti-immigration crackdown after alerting the Department of Homeland Security to activity in the area over the weekend.
“It does really seem like the admin is watching and responding to what’s being reported on X,” Hernandez said in response to another user who congratulated her.
Hernandez shared a video from the corner of Canal Street and Broadway on October 19.
“The entire sidewalk is filled with illegals who state they are from Senegal and I watched as they fled police,” Hernandez said. “Perhaps @ICEgov should go check this corner out.”
She followed up with another post Monday. “Day 1 of me asking the @DHSgov to go and clean up Canal street in NYC where hoards of illegals are brazenly selling fake goods in broad daylight,” she posted.
Hernandez replied to Customs and Border Patrol’s X account Tuesday morning and told the agency to “go check out Canal St in New York City.”
“There are easily 30-40 illegals there daily that are selling fake goods,” Hernandez wrote. “Would be an easy sweep and send a strong message to the sanctuary city of NY.”
Federal agents swooped on the area and made a number of arrests Tuesday afternoon.
Protesters surrounded masked officers and in one instance, attempted to block their vehicle from driving off as they shouted “ICE out of New York” and other chants.
Agents were seen pushing protesters to the ground, and threatening them with pepper spray, before detaining several of them.
As more New Yorkers joined the fray, some of the federal agents retreated on foot, followed by jeering protesters and honking vehicles. Additional federal agents, armed in combat gear and carrying long guns, also arrived with a military tactical vehicle known as a BearCat and made additional arrests.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said the agents were carrying out an enforcement operation against sellers of “counterfeit goods” when “rioters who were shouting obscenities, became violent and obstructed law enforcement duties including blocking vehicles and assaulting law enforcement.”
New York officials condemned the operation while the NYPD clarified it was not involved.
“The NYPD had no involvement in the federal operation that took place on Canal Street this afternoon,” the police department posted on X.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul called out President Donald Trump as she condemned the use of pepper spray on New Yorkers.
“@realDonaldTrump claims he’s targeting the “worst of the worst.” Today his agents used batons and pepper spray on street vendors and bystanders on Canal Street,” Hochul said in a statement. “You don’t make New York safer by attacking New Yorkers.”
New York Democratic Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani said the tactics were “aggressive and reckless.”
“Once again, the Trump administration chooses authoritarian theatrics that create fear, not safety,” Mamdani said. “It must stop.”
Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams said the city had no involvement in the action and was still gathering details.
“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,” he said.
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