ICE Arrest In Brooklyn Draws Crowds

BROOKLYN, NY — A crowd gathered on Bushwick Avenue just after 6 p.m. Feb. 24 as federal immigration agents detained a man outside an apartment building near Suydam Street in Bushwick.

Witnesses said several agents, including a federal Enforcement and Removal Operations officer, moved the man into a vehicle while his wife and two children remained nearby. Neighbors began alerting one another through a group chat and rushed outside, according to a person with direct knowledge of the incident.

About 15 residents converged on the street, an eyewitness said.

Video from the scene shows people surrounding a vehicle and pressing their hands against its hood and doors. At least one person climbed onto the moving car as it edged forward through the crowd.

The vehicle continued down the block as several people struck its windows and body. The driver maneuvered through a gap in the crowd, accelerated and left the scene.

Moments later, residents began blowing whistles after spotting an unmarked vehicle with tinted windows about a block away. As people approached, the vehicle activated sirens and flashing lights.

The episode marked one of the most visible immigration enforcement actions on a New York City street since federal agents conducted operations in Chinatown late last year.

Police officials denied assisting in the operation.

“There was no collaboration between the NYPD and ICE,” an NYPD spokesperson said.

In a post on X, Brooklyn Council Member Jen Gutierrez wrote,

“Deeply proud of my Bushwick community and neighbors for standing up and putting their bodies on the line to defend our neighbors.”

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said Brooklyn is "not a playground for Trump-sanctioned terror."

“Bushwick made it clear last night…..Ice is not welcome here," he wrote on X.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.