Federal immigration agents raided Nutrition Bar Confectioners in Cayuga County on Sept. 4, setting off community protests, political statements, and conflicting accounts about how many workers were detained and what happens next.
The raid
Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol entered the Route 34 facility around 9 a.m. with a search warrant, according to Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck. His office provided nine deputies for security, traffic control, and family assistance but did not participate in immigration enforcement.
A copy of the search warrant obtained by The Citizen shows federal agents were authorized to search for “aliens present unlawfully in the United States.” The order was signed by Judge Therese Wiley Dancks of the Northern District of New York.
Numbers and deportations
CNY Central reported employees told them around 60 workers were detained. Sheriff Schenck said children from two families were directly affected, and his office worked with county social services to ensure safe placement. CNY Central noted some school-aged children in Fulton missed class after their parents were detained.
The Citizen has reported higher numbers, with about 70 people detained. Immigration advocates told the paper that at least two to five detainees have already been deported to Guatemala, including mothers with infants. Some have been released, but many remain in federal custody with limited contact to attorneys or family.
The factory’s account
Co-owner Lenny Schmidt told The Citizen that agents interviewed all 230 workers, seized payroll hard drives, and released about 10 employees by the following day. He criticized the tactics used, describing “masked agents, crowbars, dogs, and shouted commands,” saying, “They treated everybody like they were complete criminals.”
Political and community response
Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the raid and initially claimed a second operation occurred in nearby Volney, though the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office later said it found no evidence of that.
Fulton Mayor James Rice called the raid a “disregard for the Constitution” in a statement, while Rep. John Mannion (D-NY22) urged Congress to advance immigration reform. Cayuga County Legislature Chair Jonathan Anna stressed the importance of immigrant labor to the region’s farms and said he opposed enforcement actions that sweep up workers with no criminal record.
Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Oswego Border Patrol Station on Sept. 5 and 6, demanding the release of detainees and carrying signs such as “Protect our immigrant neighbors” and “No human is illegal.”
What’s next
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, John Sarcone III, is scheduled to hold a press conference Tuesday in Albany. His office says it will outline arrests and criminal charges arising from the raid and warn employers about hiring workers without legal authorization.
The Department of Homeland Security has not publicly explained why the factory was targeted. Local officials say they are still seeking answers.
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