The bustling streets of New York City’s Chinatown became the focal point of a significant federal operation on Tuesday. In a coordinated effort, nine individuals from West Africa were apprehended for being in the U.S. illegally. This raid, conducted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was reported by Fox News.

Alongside these arrests, four protesters found themselves in custody after allegedly interfering with ICE officers. These demonstrators were accused of obstructing the law enforcement proceedings and hurling objects at the officers. Reports indicate that those detained for protesting have previous criminal records.

The individuals taken into custody hailed from the nations of Senegal, Mali, and Guinea. They were implicated in the illegal sale of counterfeit goods, which has been a persistent issue in the area.

Highlighting the gravity of the operation, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin of the Department of Homeland Security explained to Fox News that the raid was a “targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation.” The focus was squarely on criminal activities associated with the sale of counterfeit merchandise along Canal Street.

The operation underscores the ongoing efforts of federal authorities to address illegal activity within the bustling commercial hubs of major cities, balancing the enforcement of immigration laws with broader concerns of public safety and economic integrity.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant 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 the New 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.

Federal agents conduct an immigration sweep on Canal Street in Chinatown, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Jake Offenhartz)

Mayor Eric 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.

Protestors confront federal agents as they walk down Lafayette Street after an immigration sweep on Canal Street through Chinatown, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in New York City.  (Jake Offenhartz/AP)

Socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani weighed 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.”