Police grappled with protesters and pepper-sprayed them during a pro-immigration rally in New York.

Footage shows the chaos as officers clashed with the crowd in a bid to disperse them on May 28.

Some were wrestled to the ground and subdued before being arrested.

The New York Police Department said more than 20 demonstrators were taken into custody at 201 Varick Street where immigrants were detained.

Earlier that day, an immigrant family was held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the same building where the demonstrators gathered.

One of those who attended the gathering said: 'There's no way we can stay silent. This is not okay.'

Congressman Jerry Nadler, whose office is located in 201 Varick Street, said: 'People show up for appointments and are being arrested by ICE, and I'm not sure what the grounds are.'

This comes one week after ICE arrested a Venezuelan student, 20, from the Bronx after his immigration case was dismissed.

Murad Awawdeh of the New York Immigration Coalition said: 'ICE is trying to entrap people by dismissing cases so they can arrest them in the courthouse. This is incredibly shocking.'

Ace Sutherland of the same coalition said: 'This is disgusting. My people do it the right way, and still get stopped.'