Just days ago, Canal Street in Lower Manhattan buzzed like any other afternoon. Tourists compared shades of Dior and Louis Vuitton bags, vendors shouted prices for wallets and cardholders and the familiar rhythm of bargaining filled the air. Then, the same street felt tense. Vendors and shop owners watched nervously as tourists moved cautiously, unsure who might be a federal agent.
Walking along Canal Street now feels unsettling; the usually chaotic sidewalks are half-empty. Vendors hide merchandise in black trash bags, ready to flee at the slightest provocation, while souvenir shop owners watch every passerby nervously and even tourists move cautiously. Many New Yorkers have criticized ICE’s tactics, arguing that these actions do not make the city safer but instead spread fear throughout the community.
The focus on African and immigrant vendors suggests enforcement was guided by stereotypical assumptions about race and questionable legality rather than public safety. While the Department of Homeland Security emphasizes the goal of “making Canal Street safe again,” the stark reality is one of fear, caution and disruption…