(NEW YORK) New York Attorney General Letitia James on October 22, 2025 launched an online reporting portal asking the public to submit photos, videos, and other documentation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity across New York. The move came one day after a disputed ICE operation on Canal Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown, in which four U.S. citizens were arrested and held for nearly 24 hours at 26 Federal Plaza before being released without charges. The Attorney General said the portal will help her office review possible violations of state or federal law tied to immigration enforcement.
Attorney General James said “every New Yorker has the right to live without fear or intimidation,” urging anyone who witnesses ICE activity and has footage to share it with her office. Her team said it will examine reports for unlawful questioning, detention, or intimidation. The new effort places the state’s top law enforcement office between New Yorkers and federal agents in a way that centers documentation, accountability, and community safety, even as ICE defends its operations as targeted and intelligence-led.
ICE described the October 21 Canal Street operation as a “targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation” focused on criminal activity related to the sale of counterfeit goods. The agency’s statement did not quiet the uproar that followed. Four Americans were taken into custody as part of the operation and held at 26 Federal Plaza for almost a full day without any federal charges. All were later released, roughly 30 minutes after Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman announced a press conference. He called the arrests “lawless terror,” adding that “ICE is not allowed to arrest American citizens.”
Families of the four Americans filed missing persons reports with the NYPD while their loved ones were detained. The sudden detentions, the length of time in custody, and the lack of charges fueled anger in the neighborhood and among civil rights advocates. After the four were released, nine undocumented immigrants who were also detained in the operation were moved to Delaney Hall in New York, a facility used for immigration detention.
Portal launch and immediate aim
The Attorney General’s portal invites New Yorkers to upload photos, videos, and other documentation of ICE activity anywhere in the state. The stated aim is simple: collect evidence, review it promptly, and determine whether any laws were broken during federal immigration actions.
The Office of the Attorney General said it is committed to assessing reports for signs of:
- Unlawful questioning
- Unlawful detention
- Intimidation
While the office did not announce specific enforcement steps, officials made clear they intend to evaluate whether federal actions comply with the law and respect people’s rights.
The timing is deliberate. The Canal Street operation was both visible and disruptive in a busy commercial corridor. Community members, street vendors, and passersby recorded what they saw. By launching the portal the very next day, Attorney General James signaled that her office wants those recordings preserved and submitted in one place so trained staff can review them and decide what comes next.
Canal Street operation sparks outrage
ICE’s framing of the operation as focused on counterfeit goods clashes with the account of people on the ground who watched Americans taken into custody and later released without charges. In New York, where immigrant and mixed‑status families live side by side, the line between a public safety action and a broad sweep can feel thin. The arrests of four U.S. citizens jolted that line.
Local lawmakers amplified those concerns. Congressman Goldman called the operation “lawless terror,” stating plainly that federal immigration agents cannot arrest American citizens. His office noted the timing of the releases, which happened about half an hour after he announced plans to speak publicly. The families of those detained had already filed missing persons reports, underscoring how quickly routine life can turn into panic when people vanish into custody with little explanation.
Nine undocumented immigrants were transferred to Delaney Hall, a move that aligns with federal practice when ICE detains noncitizens. Their cases now proceed through the civil immigration system, which runs on a different track than criminal court. But the episode’s most immediate shock came from the treatment of citizens caught up in an operation that ICE says was targeted.
“ICE is not allowed to arrest American citizens,” Congressman Dan Goldman said, calling the arrests “lawless terror.”
What New Yorkers can do
The Attorney General’s message is direct: if you see immigration enforcement activity and you safely capture it on your phone, submit it through the new portal. The office says it will review submissions to determine whether agents acted within the law. For many in New York’s immigrant communities, this offers a channel to elevate evidence that might otherwise get lost on social media or private group chats.
Practical guidance for submitters:
- Do not put yourself in harm’s way to record an event.
- If you have footage, include date, time, and location.
- Note visible agency markings (e.g., ICE or Homeland Security badges).
- If you witnessed questioning without cause, extended detention, or threats, write down what you saw as soon as possible so details remain fresh.
- Share any identifying details about individuals or vehicles, if safe to do so.
The Attorney General’s office emphasized its commitment to reviewing these materials as part of its legal oversight role.
Federal context and resources
ICE runs civil immigration enforcement under the Department of Homeland Security. Its Enforcement and Removal Operations arm conducts arrests, detentions, and removals, and publishes general policy information.
For official federal material about the agency, readers can review ICE’s public pages, including ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. That site explains how the agency describes its mission and activities.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, readers often look for ways to track enforcement trends and government responses beyond headlines. The Attorney General’s portal fits that need by turning community recordings into potential evidence that can be assessed by lawyers and investigators.
While the Attorney General did not announce investigations tied to specific individuals or agents, collecting material at scale can help identify patterns — if any — in how enforcement takes place in New York.
Community impact and rights
The Canal Street episode will likely resonate in Chinatown and across the city. Street sellers and shopkeepers who rely on daily foot traffic already face pressure from counterfeit enforcement by multiple agencies. When ICE actions intersect with that world, confusion grows and community fear rises.
The Attorney General’s decision to build a system for receiving documentation is an attempt to ground the public debate in verifiable records.
For New Yorkers worried about future encounters, remember these core rights:
- You have the right to ask if you are free to leave.
- You have the right to remain silent.
- You have the right to speak with a lawyer.
Families can share basic plans with loved ones about who to call if someone is detained. None of this replaces legal advice, but it can reduce panic in the first hours after an arrest.
What’s next
Attorney General James presented the portal as part of her duty to protect residents from unlawful conduct, including intimidation tied to immigration enforcement. ICE defended its operation as targeted and intelligence-driven. Those two positions now meet in a public forum shaped by video and photos from regular people.
What emerges from the Attorney General’s review could shape how future enforcement looks on New York streets, from Canal Street to neighborhoods far from Manhattan’s core.
The events of October 21 and October 22, 2025 mark a sharp moment in the long running push and pull between federal immigration enforcement and local oversight. For now:
- The Attorney General is asking for evidence.
- The community is watching closely.
- ICE says it is pursuing its mission.
The balance between safety, civil rights, and enforcement will be tested not in broad claims, but in the small details captured in those clips and images — what was said, who was stopped, and how people were treated in the heart of New York.
This Article in a Nutshell
On October 22, 2025 New York Attorney General Letitia James launched an online portal for residents to submit photos, videos and other documentation of ICE activity statewide. The portal follows a disputed October 21 Canal Street operation in Manhattan’s Chinatown, where four U.S. citizens were detained for nearly 24 hours at 26 Federal Plaza and later released without federal charges; nine undocumented immigrants were transferred to Delaney Hall. The AG’s office said it will review submissions for unlawful questioning, detention or intimidation to determine whether state or federal laws were violated. The initiative centralizes community-recorded evidence, aims to increase transparency and may guide referrals or investigations. Officials urged people to document date, time and location while avoiding personal risk. The move highlights tensions between federal immigration enforcement and state oversight, and could shape future enforcement practices in New York.
