(NewsNation) — Immigration officers and protesters clashed outside a federal building after an ICE operation in Lower Manhattan.
Federal authorities later said they made 14 arrests following the unrest Tuesday, including several demonstrators who were accused of assaulting agents or obstructing them from carrying out their duties.
The agents were questioning and detaining street vendors on Canal Street, a spot in New York City known for shops that sell knock-off designer items. In a post on social media platform X, the Department of Homeland Security said nine people who were in the U.S. illegally from West Africa were arrested and had “violent rap sheets” for crimes including robbery, burglary, domestic violence, drug possession and assaulting law enforcement.
Protesters also blocked traffic during that sweep to prevent ICE agents from leaving the area, and one told NewsNation they did not want federal agents in the city.
“They should not have the jurisdiction that they do; they’re fakers,” the protester said. “They should not be able to kidnap people from the streets.”
Another protest against ICE is being held Wednesday evening in Federal Plaza in New York City. Organizers are calling it an emergency protest.