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New York state attorney general has introduced a recent online portal urging locals to submit images and footage of ICE operations around the state. This step follows a day after a high-profile enforcement action disrupted Chinatown in Manhattan, triggering large-scale demonstrations.

US Citizens Detained During Raid

A US congressman announced during a midweek briefing that four US citizens were taken into custody and kept for "almost a full day" after the previous day's operation. Rallies occurred in New York on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

"All New York residents has the right to live without fear," the attorney general declared in a statement.

"If you witnessed and recorded ICE activity recently, I ask you to share that footage with the authorities. We are dedicated to reviewing these submissions and evaluating any violations of law."

Submission Process

The portal provides spaces to send images and video footage of the raid, plus a section to note location information. Prior to sending, users must check a box that acknowledges that "authorities might employ any evidence provided in a public document, including in a legal proceeding or public report."

Details of the Chinatown Raid

The enforcement action, which witnesses say featured over fifty federal agents, occurred in a well-known area of Manhattan where counterfeit products and merchandise are sold daily en masse – typically to visitors.

Recordings of the operation reveal numerous hooded and equipped officers securing and holding a man, and forcing aside bystanders. Masses of locals pursued the personnel down the sidewalks. An armored military vehicle was noticed rolling through the Manhattan avenues.

Political Response

During a Wednesday press conference held with the rights organization, congressman Dan Goldman, a lawmaker, said that four American citizens were arrested by immigration for nearly 24 hours and that there were "no situations where US citizens should be detained for unjustly." He noted the individuals were let go on the following day with no charges filed.

"The goal is evident here. It is not about removing offenders," the congressman said. "This is a militarized effort to incite tension. It is purely a excuse to generate turmoil for the government to utilize the troops to halt conflict that they initiated."

Broad Criticism

Outrage over the ICE raid rapidly grew – every political contenders denounced the raid, including the state leader.

"Repeatedly, the current administration opts for authoritarian theatrics that instill panic, not safety. It needs to cease," one mayoral candidate wrote.

New York City community groups spoke out too.

"Federal officers targeted the neighborhood with armored transports, covered personnel and tactical gear to focus on local sellers trying to make a living. This raid had nothing to do with citizen protection and was entirely about terrorizing immigrant families and communities," stated the head of a rights organization.

ICE Policies

ICE policy bans the detention of US citizens and the agency has claimed it does not arrest or detain American nationals. Yet, external research has discovered that numerous American nationals have been detained unlawfully by ICE since the beginning of the current administration.

Current Situation

Immigration operations have been rising in frequency in NY and around the country recently.

A recent action in central NYC was the first known raid on an housing center of the current administration. Protests against ICE are ubiquitous as are accusations of violence and inhumane treatment.

Latest, a submission submitted by advocacy organizations stated medical neglect of women with child in ICE facilities.