ICE brokers drag an irate man right into a ready van after arresting him throughout a raid in Chinatown on Oct. 21, 2025.
Picture by Dean Moses
Mayoral candidates Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa all criticized a chaotic U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) raid carried out in Chinatown on Tuesday that sparked fierce backlash from livid protesters and immigration advocates.
The raid, which started round 3 p.m. on October 21 close to the intersection of Centre and Canal Streets, noticed federal brokers questioning avenue distributors within the space as a part of an operation aimed toward tackling counterfeit items, in accordance with a Homeland Safety official.
Inside moments, a crowd of indignant New Yorkers surrounded ICE brokers as they carried out the operation, with federal brokers finally shifting to arrest a number of protesters — which solely additional infected the gang.
Some New Yorkers shouted at brokers as they carried out the operation, describing brokers as “disgusting” and demanding that they cease as one particular person was tackled to the bottom.
ICE brokers raided Chinatown’s Canal Avenue on Tuesday afternoon, detaining a number of avenue distributors in an operation that drew speedy and fierce backlash from bystanders and immigrant advocates.https://t.co/oCNwAFWfft pic.twitter.com/JNe0q09pTg
“Does that feel good? I bet your mom and dad are so proud of you….You should be ashamed of yourself,” one protester informed brokers on Tuesday.
In a while Tuesday evening, protesters and native elected officers marched outdoors 26 Federal Plaza, demanding that federal brokers go away New York Metropolis.
ICE raid ‘aggressive and reckless’
Masked ICE brokers close to Foley Sq. after a Chinatown raid on Oct. 21, 2025, with one agent carrying a protracted rifle.Picture by Dean Moses
All three mayoral candidates have now weighed in on the difficulty, with Mamdani and Cuomo strongly criticizing the ICE operation. Sliwa, in the meantime, stated ICE operations ought to make people concerned in main crime a “top priority” as an alternative of specializing in working individuals.
Mamdani described Tuesday’s raid as “aggressive and reckless,” accusing President Donald Trump of trying to stoke concern in New York Metropolis via “authoritarian” techniques.
“Federal agents from ICE and HSI (Homeland Security Investigation)—some in military fatigues and masks—descended on Chinatown today in an aggressive and reckless raid on immigrant street vendors,” Mamdani wrote in a publish on X. “Once again, the Trump administration chooses authoritarian theatrics that create fear, not safety. It must stop.”
Cuomo equally condemned the raid as an “abuse of federal power,” additionally alleging that Tuesday’s raid sought to sow concern amongst New Yorkers. Cuomo additionally referenced the Statue of Liberty, stating that the landmark stands as a declaration of the values promised to everybody in the USA.
“The Statue of Liberty stands in our harbor, not as a decoration, but as a declaration of our values and the promise of America,” Cuomo wrote on X. “At present’s ICE raid in Chinatown was an abuse of federal energy by the Trump administration: extra about concern than justice, extra about politics than security.
“New York was built by immigrants and we will not be bullied into betraying who we are.”
Sliwa urged federal authorities to make sure that public security “comes first” by focusing their efforts on gang members, intercourse traffickers and people concerned in main crimes.
“Curtis believes public safety must come first, and that deporting gang members, sex traffickers, and those involved in major crimes should be a top federal priority,” Sliwa marketing campaign spokesperson Daniel Kurzyna stated in a press release.
“He has also been clear that restaurants and other service industries should not be the focus of immigration enforcement, and that resources should target dangerous offenders, not working people,” Kurzyna added.
A plea for peaceable intervention
In the meantime, Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander, who has often protested in opposition to federal actions and joined Tuesday evening’s protest, inspired New Yorkers to “show up” peacefully for immigrant communities.
Lander inspired individuals to help avenue distributors by patronizing their enterprise and referred to as for “non-violent civil disobedience” in opposition to Trump’s immigration agenda.
“If you’re a New Yorker tonight thinking, ‘What could I do tomorrow?’ Patronize a street vendor. That’s what New York City looks like,” Lander stated. “You want to do something tomorrow that says I’ve got the backs of immigrant New Yorkers. I’m on the side of this beautiful, diverse city. I am against Donald Trump sending troops here for street vendors.”
Lander had joined U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman at a separate protest Monday calling on the NYPD to arrest federal officers in the event that they break the legislation whereas detaining individuals within the metropolis. Talking on Tuesday, he referred to as on NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch to make sure that the NYPD is “keeping New Yorkers safe,” together with defending avenue distributors working within the metropolis.
“Street vendors are not a national security threat; they’re a big part of what makes New York City, New York City. There is no excuse for sending military style vehicles and a national law enforcement response for street vendors,” Lander stated at Tuesday’s protest. “What we need to all be doing is show up to say ICE out of New York.”
