A federal raid inNew York City’sChinatown neighborhood on Tuesday resulted in the arrests of nine migrants from West Africa who were in the United States illegally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told Fox News.
Four protesters were also taken into custody for allegedly blocking ICE officers and throwing objects at them.
Officials said the migrants are from Senegal, Mali and Guinea and were busted for allegedly selling counterfeit items in the area.
ICE said the protesters who were detained have criminal backgrounds.
PROTESTS ERUPT AS ICE AGENTS RAID NYC CHINATOWN STREET VENDORS ALLEGEDLY SELLING COUNTERFEIT GOODS
Department of Homeland SecurityAssistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News that ICE and federal partners conducted a "targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation" on Canal Street focused on criminal activity related to the sale of alleged counterfeit goods.
"During this law enforcement operation, rioters who were shouting obscenities, became violent and obstructed law enforcement duties, including blocking vehicles and assaulting law enforcement," McLaughlin wrote in a statement. "Already, one rioter has been arrested for assault on a federal officer."
During a news conference Tuesday night, Murad Awawdeh, vice president of advocacy at theNew York Immigration Coalition, said between 15 and 40 vendors were arrested, and at least two locals were taken into custody for protesting and blocking their arrest efforts.
City officials quickly moved to distance themselves from the raid.
US MARSHAL, ILLEGAL MIGRANT SHOT DURING LOS ANGELES IMMIGRATION OPERATION
MayorEric Adams’ press secretary, Kayla Mamelak Altus, told Fox News that New York City "never cooperates with federal law enforcement on civil deportation matters, in accordance with local laws," and had "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," she said.
Socialist mayoral candidateZohran Mamdaniweighed in on X, calling the Manhattan raid "aggressive and reckless."
"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 in a post. "Once again, the Trump administration chooses authoritarian theatrics that create fear, not safety. It must stop."
Fox News' Greg Wehner and CB Cotton contributed to this report.
