The turnout Thursday night was larger than the previous night as simmering hot tensions brought more protesters, and a bigger police presence at Foley Square and across the street at 26 Federal Plaza.
Earlier in the day, around 200 rally participants marched from Foley Square to 1 World Trade Center, where Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem spoke about ongoing ICE operations.
Noem defended the actions of the federal agent who fatally shot 37-year-old mother Renee Good in Minneapolis.
"This is an experienced officer who followed his training," Noem said.
Overnight, President Donald Trump told the New York Times about the driver, saying "She behaved horribly. And then she ran him over." He called it a "terrible scene."
Vice President JD Vance blamed the driver and left-wing ideology.
"She was trying to ram this guy with her car, he shot back, he defended himself," Vance said.
But Former NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce weighed in on that officer standing in front of the car.
"You never get in front of the car. And you never get in back of the car for that matter. You stay on the sides as safely as you can make it," Boyce said.
Demonstrators are frustrated and fed up.
"What we saw happen yesterday, what we've been seeing happening with ICE is authoritarianism, it's illegal, they don't care that it's illegal but as people with hearts, we show up for each other," said protester Sarah Sophie Flicker.
The newly sworn in Manhattan Borough President, Democrat Brad Hoylman-Sigal, was among the demonstrators.
"We saw what happened in Minnesota, we all should be heartsick at that result, but it could happen here in Manhattan, in New York City, and that's why it's so important that we take to the streets and make our opinions known that this is not a democratic approach toward immigration," Hoylman-Sigal said.
New York is still considered a sanctuary city - but such policies don't prevent federal officials from carrying out their own enforcement.
Protesters on Thursday encouraged more people to come out.
"We have to be like foaming at the mouth and fomenting...I mean, everyone has their jobs, they got things to do, I get it, but at any moment that you can, you should make the public statement that this is not OK," a protester named Catherine said.
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