New York City is slated to see an increase in immigration arrests following an incident where federal agents were confronted and obstructed by protesters in Manhattan, according to an administration official.
Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons stated in an October 22 interview that the surge in enforcement is directly tied to the presence of criminals who have been released in the city.
“You will see an increase in ICE arrests because there are so many criminals and illegal aliens that have been released in New York, specifically,” Lyons said during a Fox News interview. “You will see us making those criminal arrests to make New York safe again. It’s definitely intelligence-driven; it’s not random. We aren’t pulling people off the street.”
Protests and Arrests
The announcement comes just days after a federal operation in Manhattan’s Chinatown, where agents detaining a street vendor were met with obstruction from protesters. The demonstrators reportedly encircled officers and their vehicles, chanting “ICE out of New York” and attempting to prevent them from leaving.
As the crowd grew, ICE, Border Patrol, and other federal officers were forced to retreat, leading to cheers from the protesters. Federal reinforcements later arrived with long guns and tactical gear. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that “rioters became violent and assaulted law enforcement.”
Authorities eventually arrested 14 people, including demonstrators. The DHS later confirmed that nine criminal illegal aliens were arrested, some of whom had prior criminal histories. The detained individuals were from Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and Guinea.
In a press release the following day, the Department of Homeland Security stated, “Despite violent rioters who assaulted and obstructed law enforcement by blocking vehicles, nine criminal illegal aliens were arrested.” Four of those arrested were accused of assaulting law enforcement, and one for obstruction of justice. McLaughlin noted that some of those arrested had previously been accused of crimes including robbery, domestic violence, assaulting law enforcement, counterfeiting, and drug offenses, adding that “the majority of those arrested were released into the country by the Biden administration.”
AG James Calls for Public Footage
The events have also prompted action from New York Attorney General Letitia James, who called on the public to submit photos and video documentation of federal immigration operations for review.
James urged the public to send in footage via a “Federal Action Reporting Form,” asserting that “every New Yorker has the right to live without fear or intimidation.”
McLaughlin, however, criticized the Attorney General’s action, stating that James’s call for videos and photos “looks like obstruction of justice.”
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