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New York state AG has launched a fresh online portal urging locals to provide images and footage of ICE operations across New York. This step comes just a shortly after a significant ICE raid rattled Manhattan's Chinatown, sparking widespread demonstrations.

US Citizens Arrested During ICE Operation

A congressional representative announced during a news conference that four American citizens were taken into custody and held for "almost a full day" following the enforcement action. Demonstrations broke out in New York on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

"Each citizen has the right to exist without intimidation," the AG declared in a release.

"For those who saw and captured ICE activity during the raid, I ask you to submit that footage with the authorities. We are pledged to assessing these accounts and evaluating any wrongdoings."

Portal Features

The portal includes options to submit visual evidence of the raid, along with a section to specify location information. Before submitting, users must mark a option that states that "the office could utilize any documents, photographs, or videos in a public document, such as in a court case or government document."

Information about the ICE Action

The Manhattan operation, which observers say involved more than 50 government officers, happened in a famous neighborhood of NYC where counterfeit purses, items, goods and other goods are regularly available en masse – typically to tourists.

Recordings of Tuesday's raid show several covered and weaponized federal agents securing and holding a person, and forcing aside onlookers. Throngs of residents followed the officers along the roads. An armored military vehicle was noticed moving along the urban roads.

Official Reactions

At a news conference held with the immigrant advocacy group, the congressman, a Democrat, said that four US citizens were taken by federal agents for almost a full day and that there were "no circumstances where US citizens should be taken for without cause." He clarified the persons were freed on Wednesday with no accusations made.

"There's a clear purpose here. It is not focused on deporting lawbreakers," Goldman stated. "This is a military-style operation to create conflict. It is purely a justification to generate turmoil for federal officials to bring in the armed forces to prevent violence that they themselves caused."

Broad Criticism

Fury over the immigration operation quickly spread – every mayoral candidates condemned the incident, along with NY's governor.

"Once again, the current administration selects authoritarian theatrics that generate terror, instead of protection. It must stop," a contender wrote.

The city's advocacy organizations voiced concern as well.

"ICE targeted the neighborhood with tactical trucks, masked agents and riot gear to focus on small merchants working to survive. This operation had no connection to public safety and everything to do with terrorizing immigrant families and communities," remarked the president of a rights organization.

ICE Policies

Official guidelines forbids the holding of citizens and the bureau has said it will not take into custody citizens. Nevertheless, independent reporting has discovered that numerous American nationals have been detained unlawfully by ICE since the beginning of the current administration.

Ongoing Trend

ICE raids have been rising in frequency in NY and nationwide recently.

A mid-October raid in central NYC was the first known raid on an housing center of the current administration. Protests opposing federal operations are widespread as are allegations of aggression and inhumane treatment.

Most recently, a letter filed by civil rights groups alleged healthcare failures of pregnant women in ICE facilities.