ARE FASHION CREATIVES SAFE TO VISIT FOR NYFW 2026?

As New York Fashion Week approaches, the city welcomes a tide of global travelers whose journeys shape the energy, pace, and possibilities of the show. My research—focused on ICE in the sense of Immigration Control and Efficiency—explores how border processes, policy nuances, and cross-cultural collaboration influence backstage logistics, sample integrity, and event safety. In the high-stakes world of fashion week, where timelines tighten and every detail counts, understanding how immigration controls intersect with operational efficiency offers practical insights for designers, logisticians, and organizers alike. This brief story traces the path from passport to production—how international movement informs planning, safeguards materials, and keeps the runway moving smoothly.

Based on recent directives, policy, and operations as of early 2026, the official and operational stance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is heavily focused on proactive, interior enforcement, targeting high-priority threats to public safety, and aggressive, intelligence-driven arrests. Under the administration of President Trump and Secretary Noem, ICE has shifted toward more aggressive tactics, including increased use of plain-clothed agents, in-field arrests, and expanded partnerships with local law enforcement. 

Core Components of ICE’s Stance:

• Targeting “Worst of the Worst”: ICE maintains that its primary mission is to identify, arrest, and remove noncitizens with serious criminal records, pending charges, or those deemed public safety threats.
• “At-Large” Arrests and Ruses: ICE uses intelligence to target individuals in the community, often using “ruses” (such as pretending to be local police) to gain entry to private areas, a practice that has faced legal challenges.
• Aggressive Tactics & Tactics Review: Agents have used tactics like smashing car windows to pull out subjects. While policy encourages de-escalation, agents are permitted to use “reasonable and necessary force”.
• Expansion of 287(g) Programs: The agency is rapidly expanding its 287(g) agreements, which deputize local law enforcement to act as immigration agents, specifically reviving the “task force” model to allow local police to stop, question, and arrest individuals based on perceived illegal presence.
• Discretion in “Protected Areas”: As of January 2025, the strict 2021 policy prohibiting arrests in “sensitive locations” (schools, hospitals, places of worship) was replaced with a directive allowing field officers to use their own discretion, meaning enforcement can occur in these locations if authorized.
• Justification for Masked Agents: In response to safety concerns, ICE leadership authorizes agents to wear masks, citing a need to prevent “doxing” and threats against agents and their families. 

Operational Reality and Public Controversy:

• No “Raids” Policy: ICE officially denies conducting indiscriminate “raids” or “sweeps,” stating they target specific, pre-identified individuals.
• Racial Profiling Concerns: Local law enforcement and civil rights groups have accused ICE agents of racial profiling, including stopping individuals based on race or the use of Spanish.
• Wrongful Detentions: While legally prohibited from arresting U.S. citizens, ICE has been found to occasionally detain citizens due to database errors or misidentification.
• Legal Limits on Power: Despite broad authority, ICE is constrained by the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, generally requiring a judicial warrant to enter private homes without consent. 

In short, the current stance is one of maximum authority to identify and remove noncitizens in the interior of the U.S., using both authorized local partners and, if necessary, aggressive federal tactics to bypass restrictions previously placed on the agency. 

If ICE asks about my citizenship or immigration status:

• Stay calm. Don’t run, argue, or resist the agent, even if you think your rights are being violated. Don’t lie about your status or provide false documents.
• You have the right to remain silent, and you don’t have to discuss your citizenship status with immigration agents, police, or any other officials. Anything you tell an agent or officer can be used against you in immigration proceedings. If you wish to remain silent, you must let law enforcement know “I wish to remain silent” and stop speaking after that.
• If you are not a U.S. citizen and an ICE officer asks for your papers, you must show them if you have them with you or indicate you wish to remain silent.
• If an ICE officer asks if they can search you, you have the right to say no. Agents don’t have the right to search you or your belongings without your consent or a rea­sonable basis to conduct the search.

If stopped by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) as a U.S. citizen, remain calm and immediately state: “I am a U.S. citizen”. You have the right to remain silent, refuse searches, and ask if you are free to leave. Do not run, do not lie, and do not provide false documents. 

What to Do and Say:

• State your citizenship: Clearly tell the agent, “I am a U.S. Citizen“.
• Exercise the right to remain silent: If questioned further, say, “I am choosing to remain silent” and “I want a lawyer”.
• Ask if you are free to leave: Ask, “Am I free to leave?” If they say yes, walk away calmly.
• Do not consent to searches: If asked to search your person or belongings, say, “I do not consent to a search”.
• Ask for identification: Ask to see their badges and identify which agency they are with.
• Document the encounter: Record the interaction if possible, or note names, badge numbers, and agency details afterward. 

Important Reminders:

• Do not carry false documents: Never use fake documents to prove citizenship.
• Do not sign anything: Do not sign any documents before speaking with an attorney.
• Do not open your door: If at home, do not open the door unless they show a search warrant signed by a judge.
• Driving exception: If driving, you must produce a license, registration, and proof of insurance, but you do not need to discuss citizenship status. 

DOES THE LAW ALLOW PEOPLE TO SUE ICE AGENTS? U.S. law makes it very difficult to sue federal agents as individuals. But victims can sue the federal government for compensation when its employees cause financial or bodily injury in the course of their work.

Can an American citizen sue the immigration department?

While many people ask “Can I sue ICE for detaining me?” the reality is a bit more technical. You wouldn’t actually sue ICE the agency or its individual officers directly. Instead, you file a lawsuit against the U.S. government under a law called the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).

Does ICE have jurisdiction over US citizens?

If you are a U.S. Citizen, say: “I am a U.S. Citizen” and ask why you are being detained. ICE does not have jurisdiction to arrest U.S. Citizens for immigration violations. If you are being detained, you must show a form of identification.

Will Law Enforcement Help Us?

In 2026, relying on local law enforcement to intervene if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) violates your rights is generally not a dependable strategy due to complex legal jurisdictional limits. 

REALITIES

Role of Local Law Enforcement

• No Interference Power: Under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, local and state police cannot legally block or intervene in a federal immigration enforcement action while it is in progress.
• Duty to Intervene: Some local police departments, such as the Minneapolis Police, have stated that officers have a duty to intervene if they witness federal agents using excessive force.
• Post-Incident Investigation: Local law enforcement can investigate federal agents after an incident for potential violations of state law (e.g., reckless driving or assault), though federal agents often have broad immunity if they were acting within their official duties.
• Sanctuary Policies: Many jurisdictions have “sanctuary” laws (such as in New York City or Maryland) that prohibit local police from cooperating with ICE, but these laws do not empower local police to stop ICE operations. 

Protective Actions You Can Take

Since you cannot rely on police to stop an ongoing ICE action, legal experts recommend the following:

• Demand a Judicial Warrant: You are not obligated to open your door for ICE unless they have a judicial warrant signed by a judge. Note that a January 2026 ICE memo has sparked controversy by claiming agents can enter homes using only administrative warrants for final orders of removal; this is currently facing legal challenges.
• Document Everything: You have a First Amendment right to film and record ICE activity in public. Record badge numbers, vehicle plates, and time/location details.
• Exercise the Right to Remain Silent: You have the right to remain silent and should state that you wish to speak with an attorney before answering any questions.
• Report Violations: If your rights are violated, contact civil rights organizations like the ACLU or the National Immigrant Justice Center to report the incident and seek legal redress. 

Reporting Hotlines

• ICE Law Enforcement Support Center: (855) 448-6903 (to report detainers issued in error).
• Family Support Hotline: 1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY(offered by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights).