The immigration raid at a Cato protein bar factory more than two weeks ago continues to have ripple effects through the community. About 50 advocates and allies gathered in Fulton Friday to share how dozens of families have been traumatized by the sudden removal of family members by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE agents. Advocates are calling the raid a human rights violation.
“We had a lot of folks who were detained, missing for one to two weeks, could not make phone calls to lawyers or their family members,” said Marc Alessi. He’s an organizer with the Syracuse Immigrant and Refugee Defense Network.
“A few individuals, we didn't even know where they were being held or what state they were being held in. They were shuffled between three or four different border patrol locations to make it harder for them to contact lawyers and families.”
He said they still don’t know the whereabouts of six of the 69 people detained or deported.
Jessica Maxwell is director of the Workers Center of Central New York, and said they continue to hear stories of intimidation and threats the workers faced inside the plant. This includes not only undocumented workers, but those with valid working papers.
“This is really sending shockwaves so that now we are having people call saying, I thought I was safe, but now I don't know,” Maxwell said. “’I have my working papers, but now I'm not sure that's enough. I don't know what to do.’”
The workers said ICE agents ignored their papers and pleas to speak to an attorney. One of them was an adult son who was deported to Guatemala. Melina Ivanchikova is an organizer with Finger Lakes Rapid Response, which jumps into action during urgent immigration situations. She reads a message from the son’s mother.
“’In our household now, we have only one wage earner supporting nine people now that they took my son,”’ the mother said in her letter. ‘“We have two newborns and are going through a lot. We feel fear. Every day we are asking, what is going to happen tomorrow?’”
The family has been in Central New York for nine years. Finger Lakes Rapid Response has launched an online fundraising campaign.
Ana Mendez is Western New York Regional Coordinator for Rural and Migrant Ministry, which is tied to many of the families impacted by the raid.
“We have sat with families who are afraid to open the door when someone knocks. We have heard children crying at night, asking when mama or papa is coming home,” Mendez said. “We have seen families forced to choose between buying food and paying legal fees. And we have witnessed a deep fear and humiliation caused when people are treated as disposable rather than as human beings. This is not about politics. This is about humanity.”
Jessica Maxwell with the Workers Center said they shouldn’t be the only ones speaking out.
“If you're an employer with immigrant workers, then it is your responsibility to take action,” she said. “There should be dozens of employers standing here calling out these abuses and calling for permanent pathways for their workers.”
Nutrition Bar Confectioners is running at a fraction of its capacity after losing so many workers.
The groups also called on local and state elected officials to take action. They want Oswego County lawmakers to pass a no-collusion resolution to prohibit the county sheriff and probation department from supporting immigration-related actions. They were involved in the Cato raid.
The advocates are also calling on New York State legislators to go into special session to pass the New York for All Act, prohibiting local law officials across the state from colluding with immigration officials. There’s no indication yet that lawmakers are ready to act on either bill.
