A Monday night food delivery run in East Harlem ended with federal agents hauling away a worker in handcuffs, stunning neighbors who watched from stoops, sidewalks and upstairs windows.
According to amNewYork, the detained worker is 23-year-old Dany Santiago Chacar Raquec, a Guatemalan delivery worker who stepped out of his building near East 106th Street and First Avenue after accepting a DoorDash alert. Federal immigration agents quickly moved in, handcuffed him and placed him in the back of a vehicle. The outlet reports that Raquec is being held at 26 Federal Plaza and could be transferred elsewhere in the coming days, according to people familiar with the case.
Neighbors described the scene as abrupt and frightening, with one witness saying he could not understand why the arrest was happening in New York City given the mayor’s recent sanctuary measures. Immigration attorney Peter Melck Kuttel told reporters that Raquec "had no criminal history and no outstanding warrants," according to amNewYork.
What Mamdani's Executive Order Covers
Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed Executive Order No. 13 in February to tighten sanctuary protections, directing city agencies not to share municipal data with federal immigration authorities and requiring warrants before federal agents enter city property, according to CBS New York. The order also launched a citywide "Know Your Rights" campaign aimed at educating immigrant residents about how to respond during encounters with federal agents.
Delivery Workers Under Scrutiny
Advocates say stepped-up immigration enforcement and new traffic-policing tactics have put app-based delivery workers at greater risk of serious immigration consequences. Newly published NYPD data shows a sharp increase in criminal summonses for e-bike infractions that disproportionately hit riders of color, as Documented reported.
After an ICE sweep on Canal Street, street vendors and deliveristas pressed for protections like limits on app deactivations and clearer licensing rules, according to City Limits. Those efforts have taken on fresh urgency for workers who spend long hours on the city’s streets.
What Comes Next
Local community groups say they plan to track Raquec’s case while legal advocates monitor possible transfers and upcoming court dates. The mayor’s "Know Your Rights" materials remain a key piece of the city’s public response, according to CBS New York. Advocates argue that outreach is important but contend that deeper structural policy changes are needed to protect delivery workers who shoulder much of New York’s on-street labor.
