Federal agents face protests in Manhattan after immigration sweep on Canal Street, NYC, days after a MAGA influencer urged ICE to investigate vendors.
Federal immigration agents clashed with protesters in lower Manhattan on Tuesday October 21, 2025, during a large-scale enforcement operation targeting vendors on Canal Street, a raid that followed online complaints from a conservative influencer.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the operation focused on sellers of counterfeit goods, but the move drew sharp backlash after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were seen detaining street vendors and using pepper spray on protesters who tried to block their vehicles.
Hundreds of New Yorkers converged on the area as agents wearing masks and tactical gear moved through Canal Street — long known for its bustling stalls selling imitation designer handbags, perfumes, and electronics. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as some protesters surrounded federal vehicles, shouting “ICE out of New York.”
Videos posted on social media showed agents pushing demonstrators to the ground and threatening to deploy pepper spray. Several protesters were arrested. Additional units carrying long guns and supported by an armored vehicle, known as a BearCat, later arrived to clear the area.
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The federal sweep came just days after right-wing influencer Savanah Hernandez of Turning Point USA tagged ICE and the Department of Homeland Security on X (formerly Twitter), urging them to investigate Canal Street vendors.
In her posts, Hernandez claimed that “30–40 illegals” were “selling fake goods in broad daylight” and that a federal sweep would “send a strong message to the sanctuary city of NY.” She later appeared to take credit for the crackdown, saying the administration was “watching and responding” to her reports.
DHS confirmed that agents had been deployed but accused “rioters” of turning violent and obstructing law enforcement duties. The agency said the arrests were made “in connection with counterfeit goods and related violations.”
New York officials swiftly condemned the operation. Governor Kathy Hochul criticized President Donald Trump’s administration for using “batons and pepper spray on street vendors and bystanders.”
“You don’t make New York safer by attacking New Yorkers,” Hochul said.
Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani called the tactics “authoritarian theatrics,” while outgoing Mayor Eric Adams emphasized the city had no role in the raid.
“Our administration has been clear that undocumented New Yorkers pursuing their dreams should not be the target of law enforcement,” Adams said.
The NYPD confirmed it had no involvement in the federal action.
