New York Attorney General Urges Public to Document Federal Immigration Raids After Canal Street Crackdown

New York Attorney General Letitia James has called on residents to share photos, videos, and other documentation of federal immigration operations with her office following a high-profile raid on Manhattan’s Canal Street. Through a new “Federal Action Reporting Form,” James said her office would review any evidence submitted, emphasizing that “every New Yorker has the right to live without fear or intimidation.” The move comes amid growing concerns over the aggressive immigration crackdowns ordered by President Donald Trump in major U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

The recent Canal Street raid by federal immigration agents resulted in nine arrests of alleged offenders from Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and Guinea, with several accused of assaulting law enforcement officers. Witnesses said dozens of masked agents stormed Lower Manhattan, sparking protests and chaos as some U.S. citizens were also detained before being released with help from Congressman Dan Goldman’s office. Critics say the raids have involved racial profiling and indiscriminate arrests, further inflaming tensions between state and federal authorities.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the operation, calling James’ oversight initiative an “obstruction of justice.” The attorney general, a longtime Trump critic who previously brought a civil fraud case against him, now faces renewed political heat after being charged with lying on a mortgage application earlier this month. Her new monitoring effort aligns with a broader Democratic push to increase transparency around ICE operations, as lawmakers nationwide urge citizens to document and report potential abuses by federal agents.

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