An alleged ICE raid in Sunnyside sparks calls for rights education.Via Getty Images
June 26, 2025 Queens Post News Team
A number of elected officials have condemned an alleged ICE raid that occurred in Sunnyside earlier this month and called for expanded “know your rights” outreach in the neighborhood. Immigrant residents, meanwhile, say the incident has left them more cautious about leaving their homes.
The raid allegedly took place on Wednesday, June 11, inside a residential building near the intersection of 43rd Street and 43rd Avenue. The operation reportedly lasted several hours but resulted in no arrests.
One resident, who requested anonymity due to concerns over their immigration status, said they saw officers dressed in black, wearing masks and caps, patrolling the street outside the building. A photograph posted to social media appears to show multiple officers in tactical gear and face coverings exiting a vehicle nearby.
The resident alleged that one officer was visibly armed with a rifle while patrolling inside the building, while two other officers were seen on another floor.
“I work from home for a tech company and I left in the afternoon to work from a cafe with my laptop,” the resident told this publication. “I felt fear at seeing a masked person who was much larger than me patrolling my building, and I believe he was holding a rifle.”
Shaken by the experience, the resident said they remained at a nearby coffee shop for over three hours before feeling safe enough to return. They later chose to stay with their parents in another neighborhood for two days in case the officers returned.
The resident, who is a DACA recipient and moved to the U.S. at the age of six, said they felt “very supported” by the Sunnyside community in the aftermath of the incident.
Social media users condemned the raid, with one describing photos from the scene as “horrifying.” The resident said the event underscored the importance of immigrant communities understanding their rights, including the right to remain silent and the right not to open the door without a judicial warrant.
Elected officials echoed that sentiment, including Council Member Julie Won, who said ICE raids can have a “terrifying” impact on local communities. Won also noted that her office has received no reports of any arrests during the June 11 raid.
“I condemn the ICE raids and the separation of families from our district and beyond. While we have been informed that no one was arrested on 43rd Street, the scenes we are witnessing are terrifying,” Won said in a statement.
“It is essential that our neighbors know their rights should they encounter ICE or other federal agencies conducting immigration enforcement. Remember: you do not have to open the door without a judicial warrant, you have the right to remain silent, and you have the right to speak to a lawyer.”
U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez also emphasized the importance of know your rights campaigns and said reports of ICE raids in Sunnyside were troubling.
“I’m deeply concerned by reports of a masked, armed ICE raid in Sunnyside. No one should feel afraid in their own neighborhood,” Velázquez said in a statement. “These tactics don’t make New York safer; they spread fear and confusion and drive immigrant communities further into the shadows. Amidst Trump’s mass deportation campaign.
“It’s critical that all New Yorkers know their constitutional rights, no matter their immigration status. I will keep standing up for our immigrant communities and fight to hold ICE accountable.”
State Sen. Mike Gianaris stated that he will stand by his colleagues and neighbors if future raids are carried out in the neighborhood.
“Cruelty is clearly the goal of this administration as they continue to rip apart families and violate constitutional rights,” Gianaris said. “I will continue to stand with my colleagues and neighbors in defending the rights of all New Yorkers.”
The resident said the encounter has changed their behavior and made them more vigilant.
“Sometimes, I do peek my head outside the door before leaving and am considering installing a camera on my apartment front door. I’ve now started carrying my DACA papers wherever I go,” they said.
Organizations such as Make the Road New York, the New York Immigration Coalition, and the Immigrant Defense Project regularly offer multilingual workshops and distribute wallet-sized “Know Your Rights” cards throughout Queens.
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