Importance Score: 72 / 100 🔴
Family Detained by ICE in Hometown of Former Official Released After Public Outcry
A mother and her three children, apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a sweep in a small New York town linked to former Trump administration “border czar” Tom Homan, have been freed. Their release follows days of intense community advocacy, protests, and calls for their liberation from concerned citizens and rights groups.
Community Rallies for Detained Family
Last weekend, approximately one thousand demonstrators marched near Homan’s residence in a small New York village. They demanded the release of the family, who had been detained the previous month. The family’s identity has been kept private, and they have not issued any public statements.
School Principal Advocates for Students’ Return
Jaime Cook, the principal of the Sackets Harbor school district, where the children were reportedly enrolled, penned a letter to the local community. She passionately appealed for the safe return of her students.
In her letter, Principal Cook emphasized that the students have “no connections to criminal activity” and are “cherished within their classrooms.”
“We are in disbelief,” the letter stated. “And this collective shock has united our community in demanding our students’ release.”
Details of the ICE Operation
The family’s detention occurred during a March 27th operation at a large dairy farm situated in a remote town with a population under 1,500 in Jefferson County, upstate New York, near the Canadian border and Lake Ontario. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stated that the primary objective of the raid was the apprehension of a South African national accused of trafficking in child sexual abuse material, and this individual was taken into custody.
However, authorities also separately detained the mother and her children, along with three other immigrants reportedly lacking proper documentation. By March 30th, the family had been transferred to the Karnes County immigration processing center, a privately operated detention facility located in Texas.
Family Followed Legal Procedures
According to Principal Cook’s letter, the family had openly presented themselves to immigration judges, consistently attended their scheduled court appearances, and were actively engaged in adhering to the legal process.
ACLU Condemns Detention
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reported that the children’s ages are nine, 15, and 18. The New York chapter of the civil rights organization described the detentions as “outrageous” and hailed their release as “a significant relief.”
Release Confirmed by Officials
On Monday, the family’s release was officially confirmed by local authorities, education officials, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
Governor Hochul stated that she received direct confirmation from Homan that “this family – a third-grade student, two teenagers, and their mother – are currently en route back to Jefferson County. I can only imagine the trauma experienced by these children and their mother, and I sincerely hope they find healing upon their return home.”
Community Protests Gain Momentum
The demonstrations were organized with assistance from the Jefferson County Democratic Party committee. Corey Decillis, the committee chair, informed NBC News that such ICE raids “have been happening across the nation in recent times, but when it occurs in your own community, it understandably captures people’s attention.”
NYCLU Denounces “Inhumanity and Cruelty”
An ACLU statement further detailed the events: “While conducting a raid at the farm, agents entered another residence on the property without a judicial warrant and detained a mother and her three children, ages 9, 15, and 18. Subsequently, the family was transported thousands of miles to a detention center in Texas. Today, following significant public pressure and a large rally in Sackets Harbor on Saturday, ICE released the family, who are now returning home.”
The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) issued its own statement, condemning the “inhumanity and cruelty” demonstrated in this and similar operations, noting the shockwaves they send through society.
Margaret Tso, senior education strategist for the NYCLU, stated, “The appalling events of the past week underscore a crucial point: when New Yorkers witness firsthand the real, human consequences of ICE’s brutality and the Trump administration’s mass deportation policies, they mobilize, voice their opposition, and resist.”
She further added, “At Saturday’s rally in Sackets Harbor, I witnessed numerous educators, families, organizers, and residents from across the region marching together, united by the demand: ‘Bring this family back home to our community where they belong.’ Families should not be torn apart, children should not be removed from their classrooms, and individuals should not be transported thousands of miles from their homes. It is imperative that Trump and ICE cease terrorizing immigrant families – and that New Yorkers continue to fight back.”