THE REALITY: While the government remains shut down and people across the country face many hardships as a result, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues its crusade against migrants, this time against vendors on Canal Street in New York City. Canal Street is located in the heart of the city’s Chinatown neighborhood and is home to a bustling market for affordably-priced items. ICE raided this community, arresting migrants from several African countries who were selling goods, as well as arresting four U.S. citizens. Some estimates indicate that ICE has arrested 170 U.S. citizens to date.
THE FALSE NARRATIVE: ICE’s role is to enforce immigration laws. This administration has promoted a false narrative painting immigrants as criminals, while also promoting racialized stereotypes of crime that wrongly — and deeply harmfully — associate Black people with crime or danger. ICE exploited both false narratives in this raid.
All Black people, and all migrants, are harmed in the process. Black migrants endure the consequences of both false narratives.
WHY IT’S DANGEROUS: Here’s what ICE conveniently doesn’t mention and continues to obfuscate: This year, the largest number of people have died in ICE custody in decades. ICE agents are also terrorizing people across the country — too often with masks that hide them from the public — from street vendors to U.S. citizens, and even children. We have seen an unprecedented federal intrusion by ICE into local jurisdictions and unchecked violence by ICE agents. This is the real danger — not street vendors.
ICE’s false narratives dehumanize migrants. But they are patently untrue. Our diverse immigrant communities make us stronger and always will.