Asian supermarkets in Buffalo and Rochester County, New York, were reportedly raided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on the 30th. Several customers and employees were subjected to identity checks, and witnesses reported that some were taken away. Local community members criticized the raids as targeting Asian and Hispanic immigrants and questioned their racism. The Buffalo ICE office recently announced deportations involving Chinese citizens, further exacerbating community tensions.
Reporters contacted ICE for details on the incidents, but received no response as of press time.
Several Chinese customers confirmed to this reporter that the Asia Food Market in Buffalo was sealed off by ICE on the morning of the 30th. ICE officers entered the store and inspected the identification documents of each customer and employee. Customers said they were allowed to leave only after the inspection, but they saw some Hispanic immigrants being taken away on the spot.
Some believed ICE’s actions were “perhaps reasonable” at the border, while many others called them “outrageous.” Some Chinese respondents noted that the main Asian supermarket in Rochester was also raided by ICE, and that ICE raids on Asian supermarkets in Buffalo and Rochester occurred almost simultaneously, silencing local Asian and immigrant communities.
Chinese respondents said that American history is a history of immigration, and that the current raids targeting Asian and Latino communities have “clear racial overtones.” Respondents expressed that even as citizens, they feel uneasy because of their appearance: “Even though I’m a citizen, I’m afraid of being questioned when I see ICE agents passing by, so I have to carry my passport with me.”
The official account of the Buffalo ICE office has also recently frequently announced news of arrests and deportations of Chinese immigrants. On June 11, ICE announced the deportation of a Chinese man named Xiao Bao He, who was convicted of manslaughter, received a final deportation order in March, and was removed from the United States on June 3. ICE stated, “Communities are safer when convicted felons are swiftly deported.” The following day, ICE reported the arrest of another Chinese man, who was convicted of gang assault and is currently in custody awaiting deportation.
Following the raid, community groups and residents in the Buffalo area swiftly launched an online fundraising effort to provide bail, legal defense, and court costs for the arrested individuals, as well as emergency financial support for the affected families. Local authorities have yet to respond to the specific reasons behind ICE’s raid on the Asian supermarket.
