Federal agents detained multiple individuals Tuesday afternoon during an enforcement operation on Manhattan’s busy Canal Street in the Chinatown, Manhattan neighborhood, officials say. Activating near the intersection of Broadway and Canal Street, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were seen wearing marked vests, detaining several people and loading them into unmarked vans.
According to a senior law-enforcement official, the sweep targeted undocumented individuals who may have been involved in unauthorized street vending—particularly in the Canal Street corridor, known for its concentration of sidewalk vendors. Although the exact number of detainees remains unclear, the official estimated the initial count at five or six.
Federal agents reported that the operation was part of a coordinated, intelligence-driven effort focusing on criminal activity tied to the sale of counterfeit goods. Meanwhile, local observers described a chaotic scene: vendors fled their stalls, some stumbled or ran as agents moved in, and crowds of bystanders gathered, shouted at the agents and attempted to block their vehicles.
The city’s law-enforcement officials clarified that the New York City Police Department (NYPD) was not involved in the action. Mayor Eric Adams echoed that statement, underscoring the city’s policy of non-cooperation with federal civil deportation efforts.
As the operation unfolded, the impact was felt on the street: traffic along Canal Street came to a standstill, vendors hurried to pack up goods, and onlookers recorded the events on their phones.
