NYPD response to Chinatown anti-ICE protest sparks condemnation

The NYPD is facing backlash for how it handled anti-ICE protests in Manhattan’s Chinatown, where multiple arrests and violent confrontations unfolded over the weekend.

What happened: Protesters assembled near Centre Street around noon last Saturday following social media posts that revealed ICE’s location at a parking garage. Later on, they formed human barriers and piled construction debris in the street, shouting “ICE out of New York” to block federal vehicles from leaving. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said some protesters even threw planters at the vehicles. When the crowd refused multiple orders to disperse, NYPD officers moved in to make arrests.

Officers tackled demonstrators and used batons during the arrests. One sergeant fired pepper spray that hit protesters, journalists and another officer. Police detained approximately 19 people, with 11 facing formal charges. Advocates said an elderly man and his daughter, who were simply walking in the area, were among those arrested. That afternoon, HSI Special Agent Ricky Patel called NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch to apologize, with Tisch responding that the operation was unacceptable and that such actions could lead to serious injuries.

Why this matters: The clash has sparked debate over whether sanctuary protections apply when local police respond to federal immigration operations. On Sunday, officials and advocates gathered outside the same garage to denounce the previous day’s chaos. City Comptroller Brad Lander accused Strategic Response Group officers of violating sanctuary law, arguing that when they cleared streets for federal trucks, “the words for that are facilitating ICE deportations.” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said the demonstrators were protecting New Yorkers, not police. The NYPD, for its part, maintains it neither coordinated with federal agents nor engages in civil immigration enforcement.

The question is whether police actions such as responding to the scene, issuing orders, clearing routes and arresting protesters effectively assisted an immigration operation that city law prohibits. The arrest of bystanders raises additional concerns about enforcement priorities. DHS thanked NYPD officers for responding to what it called “violent agitators,” while Tisch criticized the federal operation for endangering the public and officers. These conflicting accounts underscore disagreement over what happened and who bears responsibility.

Growing fears: Last Saturday’s confrontation occurred blocks from October’s immigration raid on Canal Street, where federal officers in tactical gear arrested multiple immigrants in a counterfeiting operation. While that raid primarily targeted West African vendors, it sparked fear across Chinatown’s larger immigrant community. The operation followed a conservative influencer’s online video urging ICE to investigate the location and reportedly resulted in four U.S. citizens being held nearly 24 hours without charges.

During that raid, agents made stops that appeared based on physical appearance. Experts warned afterward that such enforcement tactics could subject anyone not fitting a certain appearance to arrest and that the operation reflected a long history of discrimination against Chinese Americans. For immigrant communities in the historic neighborhood, it remains unclear whether local police will uphold sanctuary protections or respond in ways that enable federal immigration enforcement, creating threats from both directions.

Earlier this week, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who previously called the October raid “an abuse of federal power,” said his responsibility includes “millions of immigrants — of which I am one.”