New York Street Vendors Face Increased ICE Raids Amid Community Mobilization
In 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has made 7,488 arrests in New York, escalating risks for the city's street vendors. New York City has approximately 23,000 street vendors, 96% of whom identify as immigrants, with 27% of mobile vendors being undocumented.
Community organizations such as the Street Vendor Project and NYC Ice Watch have responded by training volunteers and distributing know-your-rights information and safety whistles across all five boroughs. This expansion addresses frequent raids and increased targeting of vendors. For example, an October raid on Canal Street in Chinatown resulted in 14 people being detained. A subsequent raid in late November was prevented after protesters blocked police vehicles.
Organizers utilize multiple communication channels—including social media, Reddit, and word-of-mouth—to warn vendors and coordinate responses in what has been described as a multi-channel neighborhood watch. Hands Off NYC conducts Know Your Rights trainings, attracting over 1,000 participants per session, and plans Weekends of Action to mobilize affected communities.
Additional initiatives such as "hire-a-vendor" connect street vendors to events and parties to help sustain their income. The New York Immigration Coalition collaborates in partnerships to shelter vendors in stores during raids.
Longstanding tensions exist regarding penalties and permit caps for street vendors. Activists advocate for ending criminal penalties and easing regulatory hurdles amid concerns about potential National Guard deployment to New York City.
