A woman and her three children, who were taken into custody late last month while authorities were arresting someone at a farm in upstate New York, have been released.
This incident occurred on March 27, and it was initially broadcasted by TV station WWNY. According to Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, the family was in the United States illegally. However, advocates noted that they were actively trying to obtain legal status in immigration court.
The specific reasons for their release, after more than a week in a federal facility in Texas, remain undisclosed. Nevertheless, their detention sparked public outrage, including protests near Homan’s home in upstate New York, and shared sentiments on social media about the community’s surprise and concern. The principal of the children’s school shared his thoughts, expressing the collective worry the situation had caused.
Murad Awawdeh, leading the New York Immigration Coalition, acknowledged the local community’s empathy and support, which facilitated the family’s release. Similarly, New York Assemblyman Scott Gray confirmed the release followed a thorough health review and interviews with relevant authorities.
The family’s situation garnered significant public support, exemplified by a protest in Sackets Harbor, a village on Lake Ontario’s eastern shore where the family resided. The children, who attended school locally, were in third, 10th, and 11th grades, respectively. Principal Jaime Cook, who had openly called for the family’s release on social media, was notably present at the demonstration.
Cook criticized the detention, especially given the circumstances, where the family had supposedly unknowingly become entangled in the search for a 43-year-old South African man sought on serious charges. The man was successfully apprehended, among others suspected of undocumented residency, including the family in question.
Homan later clarified that the family’s home was within the radius covered by the search warrant, and stressed that federal agents had adhered strictly to procedural norms. He explained the necessity for due diligence in such situations to ascertain whether individuals might be material witnesses or victims in related cases.
The approach to deportation under Trump’s administration aimed to remove any unauthorized individuals encountered during such operations, a tactic divergent from President Joe Biden’s more selective immigration policies prioritizing national security threats. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has yet to comment on the family’s future immigration status or their potential to remain in the U.S.
Principal Cook highlighted the family’s commitment to adhering to legal procedures, emphasizing that the children were attending school and participating responsibly in the legal process. Jennifer Gaffney, who heads the Sackets Harbor Central School District, stated that the district is committed to offering support as students and staff begin to recover from this ordeal.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York confirmed that Homan informed her of the family’s return to New York, echoing the state’s stance that supports collaboration with federal immigration initiatives aimed at criminals but opposes actions that disrupt communities and family units.