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New York.- New York City Mayor Eric Adams reiterated this Tuesday that this city does not cooperate with federal immigration authorities, after several people were arrested in the street by agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
"New York City does not cooperate with federal authorities on civil deportations, according to our local laws," Adams indicated - on his X page - referring to the fact that this is a city friendly to undocumented immigrants or a "sanctuary city".
At least forty immigration agents showed up this afternoon on Canal Street in Manhattan, near the Chinatown and SoHo neighborhoods, a well-known point for street vendors.
The presence of the agents generated chaos among the merchants, who -according to ABC channel 7- gathered the merchandise they were selling on tables and tried to flee, and some of those who were running fell in the street while being pursued.
Several passersby shouted at the officers "What a shame!" and recorded the operation.
The presence of the agents was known after the Immigrant Coalition and other NGOs warned, through Instagram and with images taken at the moment, of the presence of federal agents in the area.
According to local media, at least four people were detained and it is unknown where they were taken, although it is believed that they were taken to a nearby building that houses federal offices where ICE holds several immigrants with a view to their deportation.
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According to the ABC chain, some vendors said they were asked to show their passports or proof of legal status. "As we gather information about the situation, New Yorkers should know that we have no involvement" in what happened, insisted the New York City mayor, whom many have accused of supporting the Trump Administration's immigration policy. "Our administration has been clear that undocumented New Yorkers trying to pursue their American dreams should not be the target of law enforcement and that resources should be focused on violent criminals," Adams said. The city's Police also sent a message to New Yorkers via social media: "The Police Department was not involved in the federal operation that took place on Canal Street this afternoon."Because it is a sanctuary city, the New York Police Department and other municipal employees are prohibited from cooperating with immigration authorities.
The Department of Homeland Security, under which ICE operates, confirmed to ABC that its agents, as well as those from other federal agencies, including the FBI and DEA, "carried out a targeted and intelligence-based enforcement operation on Canal Street in New York City."
