New York Attorney General Letitia James launched a portal on Wednesday for members of the public to submit photos and videos of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity after federal agents carried out a joint ICE crackdown in New York City’s Chinatown neighborhood one day earlier.
“If you witnessed and documented ICE activity yesterday, I urge you to share that footage with my office.
There was a specific reason based on criminal intelligence and criminal activity that we showed up on Canal Street,” Lyons said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the New York City Police Department said on X it had “no involvement in the federal operation that took place on Canal Street.”
Crime rates are at record lows in New York City, according to the latest police data.
One day after federal agents conducted a joint ICE crackdown in the Chinatown neighborhood of New York City, New York Attorney General Letitia James opened a portal Wednesday for the public to upload images and videos of ICE activity.
In a statement released on Wednesday, James promised to examine the documents to see if any laws—such as “unlawful questioning, detention, or intimidation”—were broken. “.
“Every New Yorker has the right to live without fear or intimidation,” James declared. “If you saw or recorded any ICE activity yesterday, please send the video to my office. We are dedicated to looking over these reports and determining whether there have been any legal infractions. Nobody ought to be the target of illegal interrogation, incarceration, or threats. “.”.
A significant police presence was observed on Canal Street, a well-known shopping destination in Lower Manhattan, on Tuesday. Assistant Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that ICE and federal partners from various agencies were carrying out a “targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation” that was “focused on criminal activity relating to selling counterfeit goods.”.
According to New York ABC station WABC, vendors were observed packing up their tables and making an effort to leave the area, which is known for retailers selling designer knockoffs.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told Fox News on Wednesday morning that there will be a “increase in ICE arrests” in New York City due to the “so many criminal illegal” immigrants.
“You will witness us making those criminal arrests in order to restore safety to New York. It is unquestionably intelligence-driven and not arbitrary. People are not being pulled off the street by us. We arrived on Canal Street for a specific reason based on criminal intelligence and criminal activity,” Lyons stated.
Lyons told Fox News, “The nine had lengthy rap sheets and were arrested.”. “Forgery, drug possession, drug trafficking, assault, and robbery. These are criminal aliens that were being targeted. We base our actions on criminal intelligence, which is what we had. “..”.
Targeted enforcement is different from U.S. S. . The Border Patrol, which has stations in Los Angeles and Chicago, carries out sporadic enforcement operations.
According to Lyons, store owners have long been grumbling about the retail.
According to Lyons, “if you watch the video, everything was fine with the officers talking to those individuals and making arrests until violent protesters did.”.
On X earlier Tuesday, the NYPD stated that it was “not involved in the federal operation that occurred on Canal Street.”. “..”.
Additionally, City Hall had “no involvement in this matter,” according to a statement from a city hall spokesperson. “,”.
“Law enforcement should not target undocumented New Yorkers who are attempting to achieve the American Dream; instead, resources should be directed towards violent criminals,” the statement read.
According to a person familiar with the situation, Mayor Eric Adams has directed the NYPD to step in if the situation worsens and someone assaults or obstructs a legitimate law enforcement action, ABC News reported.
In New York City, the most recent police data shows that crime rates are at all-time lows.
The NYPD reported a more than 20 percent decrease in citywide shooting incidents during the first nine months of 2025 (553 vs. 693) year-to-date, which is their lowest level to date.
Citywide, murders have decreased by over 17 percent so far this year, and burglaries have decreased by 3 percent (9,410 vs. 9,783) for the year, which is the second-lowest amount ever noted.
This report was compiled by Meredith Deliso, Aaron Katersky, and Peter Charalambous of ABC News.
