Familia de madre y tres hijos detenidos por ICE en una granja lechera de Nueva York hace un mes; fueron libres recientemente.
Rewritten Article:
A family of five - a mother and her three kids - have finally returned home to New York after being held by immigration authorities following their detention at a dairy farm last month, according to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The grim incident unfolded on March 27 when officials carried out a search warrant at the farm, suspecting a person of possessing child sexual abuse materials, as stated by Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, on Monday. During the operation at Old McDonald's Farm in Sackets Harbor, officials stumbled upon seven undocumented immigrants, including the mother and her children.
The family was transported to the Karnes County Detention Facility in Texas, approximately 1,800 miles from their home, according to the New York Immigration Coalition. The family's detention occurs within the context of the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to tighten immigration controls.
The specific details surrounding the family's detention in the raid were only disclosed Monday. Faced with criticism and protests, government and school officials denounced the move, while community members took to the streets in Sackets Harbor to demonstrate and demand the family’s release.
Jaime Cook, the principal of Sackets Harbor Central School District, passionately defended the children. "Our students were doing everything right," she said in a statement on Facebook. "They had declared themselves to immigration judges, attended court on their assigned dates, and were following the legal process. They are not criminals."
Reports suggest that the children were handcuffed during the incident, but McLaughlin insists such claims are untrue. "DHS takes its responsibility to protect children seriously," she said in a statement. Cook learned about the incident from a teacher who tutors one of the teenagers. Upon arriving at the family's home to pick the student up, the teacher found a large ICE presence.
Although the operation wasn't a raid, Homan stated last week, nearly a month after he hinted at an increase in immigration arrests, "We have to ensure that any children within that area are safe. There's a process during these investigations where we can assess if the family could be material witnesses in this horrendous crime. Can they provide information and evidence in this crime? Were they victimized within this crime?"
After ten days of uncertainty, the family is finally back, prompting collective relief and the hope for healing from the traumatic experience, Jennifer L. Gaffney, the superintendent of Sackets Harbor Central School District, said in an online statement. Cook echoed this sentiment, stating: "What happened to our students was traumatic and unjust."
Upon their return, the family has asked for privacy, according to the New York Immigration Coalition. As they enter the next phase of navigating their immigration case, both Hochul and Cook have maintained a stance against cruel immigration practices that separate children from their families or schools.
CNN's Caroll Alvarado and Jeanne Sahadi contributed to this report.
[1]: https://www.wwnytv.com/2022/04/03/ice-dairy-farm-raid-too-far-sackets-harbor-resident/ - Article indicating immigration enforcement action took place at a dairy farm in Sackets Harbor, but the specific details are not provided.
- Despite being detained at a dairy farm in Texas following the raid, the family, composed of a mother and her three children, have now returned to their home in New York.
- Despite McLaughlin's assertion that the children were not handcuffed during the incident, reports suggest that they were handcuffed during the operation at Old McDonald's Farm in Sackets Harbor.
- Post-detention, the family has requested privacy, emphasizing the need for privacy as they navigate their immigration case amidst ongoing criticism and advocacy against cruel immigration practices.
