New York street vendors return in force after ICE crackdown

Canal street in Chinatown, New York, is once again teeming with street vendors, less than a month after a major operation by immigration and customs enforcement (ICE).

Canal street in Chinatown, once known for its thriving "sidewalk economy" and countless vendor stalls, fell silent after a large-scale crackdown by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in late october, prompting vendors to keep a low profile.

Less than a month later, with thanksgiving and christmas holidays approaching, the street is bustling again. Numerous stalls openly display counterfeit handbags, electronics, and jewelry on the sidewalks. On 16/11, over 100 vendors set up shop, drawing long lines of customers.

Canal street in New York is flooded with street stalls and fake goods. Photo: NYP

"They are no longer afraid; they have to work to make a living. Everyone is just doing their job", said Diango, 56, a former vendor who now advises younger sellers.

Diango added that street vending today is far more difficult than two decades ago, when he could earn up to 1,000 USD daily.

"Back then, the sidewalks were cleaner, and the goods were of better quality; now, things have declined. Many vendors, who are often african or asian immigrants, currently earn less than 100 USD a day", he recounted.

When a New York Police Department (NYPD) patrol car drives by, sirens blaring, dozens of men frantically fold tables, gather their goods into tarps and carts, then hastily disperse onto sidewalks or into the Canal street subway station. However, minutes after the police leave, the vendors quickly set up their stalls again.

Locals walk and shop on Canal street, New York. Photo: NYP

Sowmmo, an employee at a gift shop on the street, believes police patrols are a futile exercise and that authorities can do little to stop the activity. "There's no way. They will be here forever if there aren't continuous crackdowns", Sowmmo stated.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that federal authorities "do not disclose future crackdowns" on New York street vendors but warned vendors, especially undocumented immigrants in the US, to "wait and see what happens".

"We have a clear message for all undocumented immigrants in the country: leave immediately. Otherwise, we will find and arrest them, and they will never return to the US", a DHS spokesperson said.