Overview
- Metropolis, which leases the 18–20 Morton Street garage in Greenwich Village, said it removed nine U.S. government vehicles from the site after local activists drew attention to their presence.
- A company spokesperson confirmed the vehicles were U.S. government property but would not say whether they were used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and ICE did not respond to requests for comment.
- Organizers from Chelsea Neighbors United had publicly protested the garage and emailed Metropolis’ CEO asking the company to bar ICE from that location and its other city sites, an appeal they say went unanswered.
- Activists identified at least one of the vehicles as previously parked at Pier 40, where ICE’s long‑running parking contract is set to expire, and reports say ICE recently sought lease proposals for spots near its Varick Street offices.
- The episode highlights a broader campaign to disrupt the logistics of immigration enforcement by pressuring private landlords and tech parking firms, a tactic that could prompt more companies to restrict government vehicle parking to avoid reputational and community conflict.