Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents swooped into Manhattan’s Chinatown on Canal Street at about 4 p.m. Tuesday, arresting several vendors who had been selling knock‑off designer bags and other goods without proper permits. The agents targeted the block between Lafayette and Centre Streets, a busy spot where shady markets often thrive.
When the officers approached, a few sellers tried to escape—some sprinted down the street, tripping over carts as ICE moved in. In the chaos, ICE officers checked IDs and took five vendors into custody. “They just started grabbing people and putting them into vans,” said Kaden Cummings, a 23‑year‑old longtime resident of the neighborhood who watched the operation unfold in real time.
One vendor, Edwin Jean from Brooklyn, was briefly cuffed when he refused to show his ID. Jean quickly became frustrated, shouting at the agents. “They asked for my ID and I didn’t give it, so they cuffed me,” he said. He later apologized for the heated exchange.
The arrests sparked a protest that gathered around 100 people outside 26 Federal Plaza by early evening. Many protestors said this was the first time federal agents had come to enforce illegal vending laws in Manhattan. The NYPD posted on X that it was not involved in the police operation on Canal Street.
ICE officials have not yet responded to a request for comment. The incident highlights the growing push to shut down unlicensed street vendors who flood neighborhoods like Chinatown with counterfeit products.
Source: New York Post
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