By Valcyera Assad
Imagine riding the subway to school, worried that your backpack, your accent, or the color of your skin could make you a target. The Fourth Amendment protects people from unreasonable government searches and seizures. For thousands of immigrants in New York City, that fear is no longer hypothetical: it’s now authorized by the Supreme Court.
On Sept. 8 the Supreme Court granted the Trump administration’s emergency request to reinstate rolling patrols, temporarily halting a Los Angeles judge’s order that barred removals based solely on appearance, language, type of work, or location. The 6–3 decision in Noem v. Vazquez Perdomo allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to stop people using broad, generalized factors while the underlying lawsuit continues. A federal judge had initially blocked these practices in July noting that relying on race, ethnicity, language, location, or occupation likely violated the Fourth Amendment. In a sharp dissent, Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson warned that the ruling effectively legalizes racial profiling, placing millions of immigrants and even U.S. citizens who “look” or “sound” foreign are at risk of unfair targeting.
New York City’s immigrant communities are uniquely vulnerable. With roughly 3.1 million foreign-born residents making up about 37 percent of the city’s population, immigrants are spread across the five boroughs. Queens, the most diverse of the five boroughs, is approximately 28 percent Hispanic, 16 percent Black and 27 percent Asian and 23 percent white, according to the 2020 U.S. census. These communities span multiple generations and mixed immigration statuses, meaning any federal action reverberates through neighborhoods, schools and workplaces. Daily tasks like shopping, commuting or attending classes now carries new layers of fear as they are now exposed and vulnerable,
Thousands of non-citizens in New York have been arrested by ICE in recent months, many without criminal records. As of June 14, 2025, ICE had booked 204,297 individuals into detention since the start of the fiscal year. Approximately 65 percent—around 133,687 people—had no criminal convictions, and over 93 percent had never been convicted of a violent offense, according to data compiled by the Cato Institute. Enforcement tactics include targeted operations, such as a recent five-day sweep that resulted in 80 arrests, including raids at farms and immigration courts. The Immigrant Defense Project (IDP) reports that individuals have been detained at New York immigration courts, including 26 Federal Plaza, 201 Varick Street, and 290 Broadway, immediately after hearings, sometimes after ICE attorneys requested judges dismiss cases. Many immigrants lack legal representation, making these tactics especially frightening and discouraging community members from seeking justice.
The consequences of these ICE operations reach well beyond the individuals arrested, touching entire families and communities of color throughout the city. Many immigrants now avoid attending court or reporting crimes out of fear, which disrupts access to justice. Economic inequality only worsens the problem. Low-income families are less able to afford private legal representation and are more likely to live in neighborhoods heavily targeted by ICE. According to the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, neighborhoods with high concentrations of immigrants—particularly Latinx, Asian, and Caribbean communities face the greatest risk of disruption. These enforcement practices reinforce systemic inequalities, deepening racial and socioeconomic disparities already present in the city.
Despite this, numerous organizations are fighting to support immigrants. The Legal Aid Society and Immigrant Defense Project provide legal advocacy and representation for those facing detention. Brooklyn Defender Services and Legal Services NYC offer holistic support, including assistance with housing, public benefits, and court accompaniment. Catholic Charities and the Safe Passage Project focus on vulnerable populations, including families and unaccompanied children. City residents can connect with these organizations for guidance on exercising sanctuary protections, preparing for court or responding to ICE enforcement. The New York State Comptroller oversees immigrant legal services, ensuring accountability.Iin 2025, the state budget allocated $64.2 million for immigrant legal services and $1.68 billion in emergency funding for asylum seekers.
York College students are not left out. Immigrant students at York College and other local institutions are directly impacted by ICE raids and broader enforcement practices. To help students navigate these challenges, York College provides immigration-related resources through its Student Affairs website: https://www.york.cuny.edu/student-affairs/immigration-resources, which includes legal support, counseling services, workshops and links to citywide organizations. Students can contact on-campus advisors or schedule appointments with immigration attorneys, giving them tools to understand their rights, access critical support, and continue pursuing higher education despite federal enforcement risks.
By staying informed, connecting with local resources and advocating for sustained funding, New Yorkers can help ensure that immigrant communities are not left exposed and that their voices, rights and dignity are fiercely protected against ongoing federal enforcement. Fear may feel relentless, but support systems exist to guide, protect and empower those at risk. Even in a country that often seeks to divide, these communities continue to stand together, resisting intimidation and fighting for justice, equality and safety. Every individual, every family, and every neighborhood matters in the fight to uphold human rights.
