Two employees of SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday while attending immigration hearings to finalize their legal status, the Civil Service Employees Association says.
Union officials say the workers – one represented by the CSEA and the other by United University Professions – were taken into custody before they could even enter the courtroom. Both now face possible deportation.
In a statement, CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan called the detentions “unjust and inhumane,” saying the employees are “part of our Upstate family” and had been following the law in good faith. “No one should be punished for doing the right thing,” Sullivan said.
CSEA and UUP are calling for the workers’ release and for immigration policies that treat people with fairness and compassion.
Officials from ICE or SUNY Upstate have not yet commented publicly on the incident.
