New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the release of a detained Sackets Harbor family, including three children and their mother, following intervention with federal immigration authorities. After speaking with White House Border Czar Tom Homan, Hochul confirmed the family is en route back to Jefferson County. She expressed deep concern over the emotional toll on the children and thanked Assemblyman Scott Gray and the Sackets Harbor community for their advocacy. Hochul reaffirmed the state’s stance on cooperating with ICE to target violent criminals, but strongly opposed actions that separate families and disrupt children’s lives.
Statement From Governor Kathy Hochul
“When a Sackets Harbor family was detained by ICE last month, I called on ICE to provide answers immediately and spoke with White House Border Czar Tom Homan to call for their release. Moments ago, I spoke once again with Mr. Homan who informed me that this family – a third grader, two teenagers and their mother – are currently on their way back to Jefferson County. I cannot imagine the trauma these kids and their mom are feeling, and I pray they will be able to heal when they return home.
“I also spoke with Assemblyman Scott Gray, who has played a critical role in this process advocating for his constituents. I want to thank him and the entire Sackets Harbor community who rallied to support their neighbors.
“New York has been consistent: we are open to working with federal immigration enforcement to crack down on gang members or violent criminals. But I will never support cruel actions that rip kids out of school or tear families apart.”
April 7, 2025
Albany, NY
Sources: NY.gov , Midtown Tribune
Big New York news BigNY.com
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#ImmigrationReform #KathyHochul #ICE #FamilyReunification #NewYorkNews #WSJstyle #JeffersonCounty #SacketsHarbor #ImmigrationPolicy #HumanRights
The Sackets Harbor family—a mother and her three children—was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on March 27, 2025, during a raid at North Harbor Dairy Farm in Jefferson County, New York. The operation was aimed at apprehending a South African man accused of distributing child pornography. While executing the search warrant, ICE agents also detained others present on the property, including the family, claiming they were in the country without legal status[1][3][4].
The family had been living and working in the area for 15 years and was actively pursuing legal residency by complying with immigration court requirements and attending scheduled hearings. Despite this, ICE agents reportedly entered their home without a judicial warrant and transported them to a detention facility in Texas, over 1,800 miles away. Community members and officials criticized this action as excessive and unjustified[2][4].
Citations:
[1] https://apnews.com/article/homan-ice-sackets-harbor-children-detained-acdf67107330d5548cc8fefb80b47da9
[2] https://www.nyclu.org/press-release/detained-immigrant-family-from-sackets-harbor-released-from-ice-custody
[3] https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/sackets-harbor-mother-and-three-children-detained-in-texas-heading-home
[4] https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2025/04/07/family-taken-by-ice-from–border-czar-s–hometown-headed-home–state-assemblyman-says
[5] https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/mother-three-children-arrested-ice-sackets-harbor-released-rcna200073
[6] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/nyregion/ice-family-detained-new-york.html
[7] https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2025/04/detained-north-country-family-returning-home/
[8] https://www.nyic.org/2025/04/sackets-harbor-family-has-been-released-from-ice-detention/
[9] https://www.nyic.org/2025/04/sackets-harbor-family-has-been-released-from-ice-detention-2/
[10] https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/51553/20250407/4-7-25-detained-immigrant-children-returned-to-sackets-harbor-after-protest
[11] https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/51550/20250407/sackets-harbor-family-detained-by-ice-is-returning-home-to-the-north-country
[12] https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/family-swept-up-by-us-immigration-agents-looking-20263678.php
[13] https://www.yahoo.com/news/family-taken-during-ice-raid-220935119.html