The Arab American Family Support Center condemns yesterday’s ICE raid on Canal Street. Federal agents in military-style vehicles targeting street vendors and community members is an assault on the dignity and safety of all New Yorkers.
New York has always been a city of immigrants—a place where families from every corner of the world build lives, businesses, and futures. Yesterday’s raid struck at the heart of that promise. When ICE storms our neighborhoods with force and intimidation, it tears apart the fabric of our neighborhoods, erodes the trust that holds our city together, and criminalizes human beings who are simply trying to make an honest living.
We stand firmly with our neighbors in Chinatown and immigrant communities across all five boroughs. Our city’s sanctuary policies exist to protect residents from exactly this kind of federal overreach. New York must recommit to these protections and ensure that no one lives in fear of seeking opportunity or supporting their families.
AAFSC calls on city and state leaders to take immediate action, to strengthen sanctuary protections, condemn these harmful tactics, and affirm that immigrants belong here. Immigrants make New York stronger. We will not be silent when our communities are targeted and terrorized.
To our communities: AAFSC stands with you. Our doors are open, and our team offers free, in-language legal services to anyone in need. We also offer Know Your Rights training in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to bring our communities together, share knowledge, develop safety plans, and strengthen the support networks that help us protect one another. If you or someone you know needs support, please contact us at: 718-643-8000. You are not alone.
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“Yesterday’s ICE actions in Lower Manhattan targeting street vendors on Canal Street were deeply alarming. These raids not only instill fear among immigrant families, but they also threaten the trust, belonging, and shared safety that hold our city together.
For decades, immigrant communities have long been the foundation of New York City’s strength, running small businesses, raising families, and enriching every neighborhood. When enforcement overreach like this occurs, it does not happen in isolation; it reverberates across communities and undermines the very fabric of our city.
As an organization dedicated to protecting and empowering immigrants and refugees, AAFSC stands in solidarity with all those affected. We call for accountability, transparency, and renewed commitment from city and state leaders to ensure that New York remains a place where every family, regardless of origin, can live with dignity and without fear.”
— Randy Ali, AAFSC Executive Director