New Yorkers Intervene to Halt Potential ICE Raid
NEW YORK, NY – November 20, 2023 – A potential ICE raid in New York City was reportedly thwarted by community intervention, highlighting ongoing tensions between local officials and federal immigration enforcement. The incident unfolded following public statements from New York City Council Member Shahana Hanif regarding increased ICE activity and concerns over the agency’s tactics.
Council Member Hanif alerted constituents to a possible ICE operation in Brooklyn on November 19, prompting a rapid response from community groups and legal observers who mobilized to the area. Reports indicate that ICE agents ultimately left without conducting any arrests, though the agency has not confirmed whether a raid was planned.
The situation underscores a broader conflict between New York City leadership and the Biden management’s immigration policies. Council Member Mamdani previously stated, “What we will ensure is the NYPD will be delivering public safety, not assisting ICE in their attempts to fulfill the administration’s goal of creating the single largest deportation force in American history,” in an interview posted on November 19. He further emphasized New York City’s identity as an immigrant city,vowing to “protect those New Yorkers.”
Days prior, Mamdani met with president Trump at the White House, where immigration enforcement in New York City was discussed. Mamdani explained that New York City laws allow the city government to communicate with the federal administration regarding approximately 170 serious crimes. He voiced concerns about the impact of immigration enforcement on New Yorkers, referencing the case of a mother and her two children.
trump responded, stating, “What we did is, we discussed crime.More than ICE, per se, we discussed crime. And he doesn’t want to see crime, and I don’t want to see crime, and I have very little doubt that we’re not going to get along on that issue.”
New York City has long maintained policies designed to limit local cooperation with ICE, including restrictions on sharing information about individuals’ immigration status. The recent incident and the surrounding dialogue reflect the ongoing debate over the role of local governments in immigration enforcement and the protection of immigrant communities.
