A group of Seneca County residents is calling on local officials to reject any cooperation agreements with federal immigration authorities following a recent high-profile raid in upstate New York.
About a dozen speakers took the floor during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, voicing concern over local law enforcement partnering with agencies like Homeland Security or ICE.
Their push comes just days after a Sept. 4 raid on a nutrition bar factory in Cato led to the detention of 69 workers. Acting U.S. Attorney John Sarcone later warned that more enforcement actions are coming across the region.
Speakers said such raids threaten due process, erode trust in law enforcement, and damage the local economy. Some shared personal stories and statistics about immigration’s role in building New York’s economy.
Nikki Slater of Fayette noted that immigrants contribute billions to the state and account for over a third of its entrepreneurs. The Reverend Leah Ntuala of Seneca Falls emphasized that “due process is a right for all on American soil.” Others argued that cooperation with ICE would undermine public safety by creating fear in the community.
Although Seneca County has not signed any agreements with Homeland Security or ICE, such as the 287(g) program adopted in other counties, residents urged supervisors to keep it that way. They asked the board to publicly disclose any pending agreements and to promise no deals would be made without full transparency and input.
Fayette Town Supervisor Jeffrey Trout ended the comment session by quoting President Ronald Reagan: “Immigration is one of the most important sources of America’s greatness.”
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