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New York state AG has rolled out a recent digital platform urging citizens to provide photos and videos of federal immigration enforcement throughout New York. This action comes just a shortly after a high-profile enforcement action shook NYC's Chinatown, triggering mass outcry.

US Citizens Detained In Enforcement Action

A US congressman announced during a Wednesday press conference that four citizens were arrested and detained for "almost a full day" following the previous day's operation. Rallies occurred in New York on consecutive evenings.

"All New York residents deserves to reside free from terror," the attorney general stated in a release.

"If you witnessed and captured immigration enforcement recently, I encourage you to share that footage with us. We are pledged to assessing these submissions and investigating any wrongdoings."

Portal Features

The platform includes spaces to upload images and video footage of the raid, as well as a area to indicate location information. Before submitting, individuals must check a option that states that "the office might employ any documents, photographs, or videos in a public document, including in a court case or public report."

Details of the ICE Action

The Chinatown raid, which onlookers say included dozens of ICE personnel, took place in a popular neighborhood of NYC where fake products and additional items are regularly available in large quantities – often to visitors.

Footage of Tuesday's raid show numerous covered and weaponized officers zip-tying and detaining a man, and shoving away onlookers. Masses of residents trailed the officers through the streets. An military-style transport was noticed traveling down the Manhattan avenues.

Official Reactions

At a news conference organized with the New York immigrant rights coalition, congressman Dan Goldman, a Democratic representative, stated that four American citizens were taken by federal agents for about 24 hours and that there were "no circumstances where four American citizens should be detained for no reason." He said the citizens were released on Wednesday with no charges filed.

"There's a clear purpose here. It is not to take criminals off the street," he said. "This is a militarized effort to incite tension. It is purely a pretext to incite violence for the government to deploy the military to stop violence that they initiated."

Widespread Condemnation

Outrage over the immigration operation escalated – every mayoral candidates denounced the raid, as did NY's governor.

"Repeatedly, the federal government chooses heavy-handed tactics that generate terror, instead of protection. It must stop," a political candidate wrote.

NYC advocacy organizations voiced concern too.

"ICE targeted Chinatown in NYC with armored transports, covered personnel and protective equipment to focus on street vendors working to survive. This raid had no relation to community security and everything to do with terrorizing immigrant families and neighborhoods," stated the leader of a rights organization.

Official Guidelines

Agency rules forbids the arrest of American nationals and the organization has stated it will not arrest or detain American nationals. Yet, independent reporting has discovered that over 170 American nationals have been detained unlawfully by federal agents since the start of the existing leadership.

Current Situation

Enforcement actions have been becoming more common in NY and around the country lately.

A recent action in the city center was the initial documented operation on an housing center of the present government. Demonstrations targeting immigration enforcement are commonplace as are claims of aggression and cruel conditions.

Latest, a document provided by advocacy organizations alleged inadequate care of pregnant women in government custody.