A spokesperson for Homeland Security said, „ICE and its federal partners, including FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CI and CBP conducted a targeted, intelligence-driven enforcement operation on Canal Street in New York City, focused on criminal activity relating to selling counterfeit good.“

The NYPD said they had no involvement in the operation, and a statement from Mayor Eric Adams offered a similar response, saying in part, „New York City does not cooperate with federal law enforcement on civil deportations, in accordance with our local laws.“