Protesters took to the streets of lower Manhattan to denounce and protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Thursday evening.
On Feb. 13, a group of about 400 protesters marched from the ICE building at Federal Plaza near Foley Square to the ICE Officer at West Houston and Vertex Street in SoHo.
The protest came hours after Mayor Eric Adams met with President Donald Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan. The meeting resulted in the city reopening the ICE facility at the Rikers Island jail complex.
The group was seen carrying several banners and signs in English and Spanish, shouting, “Mayor Eric Adams must go; he doesn’t care about immigrant communities.” One protester, Jason Darlugo of Nicaragua, told the crowd while fighting back tears, “I came here to give my family a better chance at life.”
NYPD Officers on foot patrol, motorcycles, and bicycles kept up with the group and attempted to cut the group route off several times. Some protesters attempted to agitate the officers.
Six protesters were arrested and taken into police custody during the protest, though at this time, the NYPD could not confirm further details. The group ended the march with, “Thank you for taking a stand against Donald Trump, I.C.E., and Mayor Eric Adams on this pivotal day in New York and American history.”
Over the past few weeks since President Donald Trump was sworn in, ICE raids have been taking place in New York City, one of the more notable raids taking place in the Bronx. In that particular raid, Trump’s Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was on site and there were 20 reported arrests.
In response to the raids, NYPD brass claimed that the department is only working with ICE to arrest those who have committed a crime. The Adams administration also noted in a recent memo that city employees, including those in public schools and hospitals, should allow federal immigration authorities to search city property or hand them requested information, even without a warrant, particularly if they feel threatened.
Adams faced backlash for that memo, with immigration leaders and politicians rallying outside City Hall last week to denounce the directive.
