An Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation is taking place on Canal Street Tuesday afternoon, law enforcement sources said.
The operation appears to have taken in vendors who sell merchandise on the street.
The atmosphere was tense and there was pushing and shoving.
The NYPD said it was not involved in the federal operation.
ICE agents then took the group they rounded up to nearby Federal Plaza. They were followed by a crowd of onlookers.
Chopper 2 flew over the scene.
CBS News New York has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and City Hall for comment.
A spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams said they are “gathering more details.”
“We never cooperate with federal law enforcement on civil deportation matters, in accordance with local laws, and have no involvement in this matter. [Mayor Adams] has been clear that undocumented New Yorkers trying to pursue the American Dream should not be the target of law enforcement, and resources should instead be focused on violent criminals,” press secretary Kayla Mamelak Altus wrote on social media.
“Today’s raid on Canal Street was 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. This kind of escalation is unnecessary, unacceptable, and antithetical to our city’s values as a sanctuary for all people,” City Councilmember Christopher Marte said. “The challenges around vending on Canal Street are real and must be addressed, but federal agents storming our streets and targeting community members is not the solution.”
Democratic candidate for mayor Zohran Mamdani also reacted to the operation.
“Federal agents from ICE and HSI – some in military fatigues and masks – descended on Chinatown today in an aggressive and reckless raid on immigrant street vendors,” Mamdani wrote on social media. “Once again, the Trump administration chooses authoritarian theatrics that create fear, not safety. It must stop.”
Check back soon for more information on this developing story.