ICE Surge in NYC: What Immigrants Can Do Now
ICE sightings in New York City jumped from 20 in June to 59 in July 2026 — nearly tripling in a single month. Queens alone accounted for roughly 48% of all sightings across the five boroughs. Immigrants across the city are now skipping medical appointments, staying home on days off, and some are buying plane tickets to leave the country.
A 55-year-old restaurant greeter in Brooklyn — identified only as E.C. — now carries a transparent folder in his backpack every day. Inside: a plane ticket to Honduras dated September 22, 2026, and printed emails from CBP Home App confirming his plans to leave. He carries them hoping that if ICE stops him, the documents will show he is already planning to go — and that there is no reason to arrest him. "I do not want to end up in a detention center," he told Documented in Spanish.
What the numbers show
NYC ICE Breaker, a volunteer group that tracks ICE activity, provided data to Documented showing 59 ICE sightings in New York City in July 2026, up from 20 in June. Queens was the hardest-hit borough. This spike followed public threats by border czar Tom Homan of an impending ICE surge in New York. The Department of Homeland Security has not officially confirmed any broader operation in the city. A May 2026 analysis by The City Reporter found that 93% of ICE arrests between October 15, 2025 and March 15, 2026 were of Latinos.
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The fear is reshaping daily life. S.A.C., a 56-year-old housekeeper from Mexico who has lived in the Bronx for nearly three decades, said some parents she knows skipped their children's college graduation ceremonies upstate — afraid of being stopped on Amtrak or pulled over while driving outside the city. Clara C., a 56-year-old Long Island resident and organizer with the nonprofit Las Doñas, said a friend has not left her home for three months. Clara now delivers groceries to her. E.C. has a valid work permit, a Social Security Number, and a pending asylum case with a hearing scheduled for 2028 — but he said he no longer believes those documents protect him from being detained.
At a rally at Corona Plaza in Queens on Monday, Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz described New Yorkers being detained while attending their own legal asylum hearings. "We are nearing two years that an emergency is no longer a fire in the neighborhood," Cruz said. "Rather, it is that ICE has knocked on someone's house, looking for someone who has not lived there for three years." Council member Shekar Krishnan, representing Jackson Heights and Elmhurst, told the crowd: "If you come for one of us, you come for all of us."
What to do
- Carry your documents. If you have a valid work permit (Form I-765 EAD), a pending asylum case notice, or any immigration court paperwork, keep physical copies on you. E.C.'s approach — a printed folder with flight info and CBP correspondence — is one example of how people are trying to show good faith to officers.
- Know your rights. You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer questions about your immigration status. You do not have to open your door unless ICE has a signed judicial warrant — not just an administrative warrant from DHS.
- Write down your immigration lawyer's phone number and keep it somewhere you can access without your phone. If you are detained, you have the right to call an attorney.
- Contact a local Know-Your-Rights organization. Groups like Las Doñas and NYC ICE Breaker distribute materials and can connect you with legal help. Local officials in Queens are also canvassing neighborhoods with whistles and rights information.
Related: our step-by-step guide — “Your Rights During an ICE Encounter”.
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Anyone with a pending asylum case or valid EAD should carry certified copies of those documents at all times — they are not a guarantee against detention, but they create a record that can matter in a bond hearing before an immigration judge. If you are detained, immediately ask to call your attorney and do not sign a voluntary departure form without legal advice, because signing can waive your right to pursue your asylum case. Given the current enforcement climate in New York, consulting an immigration attorney now — before any encounter with ICE — is the most protective step you can take.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can ICE arrest me if I have a valid work permit and a pending asylum case?
Yes. A work permit (EAD) and a pending asylum case do not legally prevent ICE from detaining you. However, having those documents — and showing them — can support your case in a bond hearing before an immigration judge. Do not destroy or hide your documents.
Do I have to open my door if ICE knocks?
No. You do not have to open your door unless ICE presents a judicial warrant signed by a judge. An administrative warrant from DHS is not enough to require you to open the door. Ask them to slide the warrant under the door or hold it up to a window so you can read it.
What happens to my asylum case if I am detained?
Your asylum case continues even if you are detained, but it becomes much harder to manage without an attorney. You will likely appear before an immigration judge for a bond hearing first. If you signed a voluntary departure agreement, that can affect your ability to continue your asylum case — which is why lawyers strongly advise against signing anything without legal counsel.
If I decide to leave the US voluntarily, does that cancel my asylum case?
Generally, yes. Leaving the US while your asylum case is pending usually results in the case being abandoned. There are narrow exceptions, but they require advance legal planning. Talk to an immigration attorney before buying a ticket or contacting CBP Home App about departure.