October 21, 2025 | The Day ICE Came to Chinatown

How a surprise ICE raid on Canal Street tested New York’s sanctuary promise.

Oct 22, 2025

TL;DR: On Tuesday, October 21st 2025, federal agents raided Chinatown’s Canal Street in Manhattan without notifying city officials. Witnesses describe chaos, panic, and a rapid community response. Here’s what happened, what it means for New Yorkers, and how you can get involved.

October 21st on Canal Street

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, a dozen federal agents in tactical gear swept into the Canal Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown. They laid into what the Department of Homeland Security described as “a targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation focused on criminal activity relating to selling counterfeit goods.

Vendors, startled by the sudden show of force, began packing up their tables and fleeing the area. Witnesses say someone shouted “ICE is here,” and within minutes a roving crowd of bystanders gathered, phones raised, as agents started detaining vendors and pushing through the crowd.

City officials say they weren’t notified ahead of time. “We never cooperate with federal law enforcement on civil deportation matters … and have no involvement in this matter,” said a spokesperson for City Hall.

Council Member Christopher Marte, whose district covers the heart of Chinatown, issued this blistering critique:

“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.” - Christopher Marte

Breaking Precedent

New York City’s sanctuary-policy roots go back to August 7, 1989, when Mayor Ed Koch signed Executive Order No. 124, prohibiting city employees from disclosing information about immigration status unless required by law, consent is given, or the individual is suspected of criminal activity.

On October 18, more than 100,000 New Yorkers marched in “No Kings” protests across all five boroughs. The NYPD reported zero protest-related arrests that day.

October 21st’s Canal Street operation broke with decades of precedent. Since 1989, New York City has maintained a careful balance between federal law and local autonomy. By moving forward without notice to city officials, federal agents disrupted that understanding and revived an old question: how much control does a city truly have over its own streets?

In Rochester on September 9 2025, ICE agents attempted to detain three roofers at a job site on Westminster Road. One worker was arrested, while two others remained on the roof as hundreds of protesters “including lawmakers and clergy,” according to Metro Justice, showed up within an hour. Faced with slashed tires and a swelling crowd, the agents withdrew and left the remaining workers behind.

Don’t fuck with New Yorkers, they look out for one another.

We Stand With You New York

The raid was a test of New York’s decades old sanctuary promise and how quickly communities can mobilize when that is threatened.

When ICE returns, will city leadership defend local law? Will New Yorkers keep showing up for one another when federal authority oversteps its bounds?

Please Visit Handsoffnyc.com for ways to get involved!
HandsOffNYC: Mass Call on Wednesday, 10/29 at 7PM EDT

Protect Sanctuary, Protect Our City

If you believe New York should decide what happens on its streets, not federal agents, join the coalition at HandsOffNYC.com. Get alerts, trainings, and toolkits. Be ready.