What happened?

CATO, N.Y. — Around 9 a.m. on Sept. 4, agents with Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided Nutrition Bar Confectioners, a company that produces nutrition and protein bars, on State Route 34 in Cato.

Employees told CNY Central that ICE agents detained around 60 people and put them into groups of citizens and non-citizens. ICE confirmed with CNY Central that their detainment was a court-authorized action, but would not release additional details.

Cayuga County Deputies were present at the Nutrition Bar Confectioners. At the time, Sheriff Brian Schenck said his deputies assisted ICE agents with security and traffic control.

Governor Hochul says another raid occurred in the Town of Volney

On the evening of Sept. 4, Governor Kathy Hochul released a statement on her X and Instagram accounts that she was appalled by the ICE raids in Central New York. She wrote, “I am outraged by this morning’s ICE raids in Cato and Fulton, where more than 40 adults were seized, including parents of at least a dozen children at risk of returning to an empty house.”

On Sept. 5, the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office would later refute the governor’s claim that any ICE raid occurred in Volney, specifying Hochul, who said “Fulton,” speaking generally.

The sheriff’s office said it received numerous messages about it potentially being involved in a raid at Teti Bakery in Volney. However, the sheriff’s office said, “to the best of our knowledge, these claims are fictitious.”

CNY Central tried to contact the bakery about the alleged raid on Sept. 5, but a supervisor at the facility would not speak about the matter.

CNY Central is working to confirm whether the number of people detained is 60 or 40.

Cayuga County Sheriff speaks on involvement in Cato raid

Sheriff Schenck released additional details on Sept. 5 about his agency’s participation in the raid at Nutrition Bar Confectioners.

Shenck said children from two families in Cayuga County were impacted by ICE’s operation. He said his agency and ICE “were assigned” to work with the Cayuga County Department of Social Services to ensure that those children were receiving support from caretakers approved by their parents or guardians.

Shenck also revealed that his agency has received money from Border Patrol due to Cayuga County’s closeness to the Canadian border. He still maintained that his officer was limited to security and traffic control.

Fulton City School District students impacted by the raid

Fulton City School District Superintendent Doug Lawrence confirmed with CNY Central on Sept. 5 that students within the district had one or both parents taken away by federal agents in the raid at Nutrition Bar Confectioners.

Superintendent Lawrence said one detained parent called the district to inform them that the raid was underway. According to Lawrence, most of the impacted children were elementary school-aged students. He said many of them did not attend school on Sept. 5, but noted that the district was working with the Oswego County Department of Social Services.

The community response

Dozens of protesters appeared before the Oswego County Border Patrol Station in Oswego, demanding answers about the people who were detained in Cato on the evening of Sept. 5.

They held signs that read, “Owego against kidnapping,” “We are better than this,” “Protect our immigrant neighbors,” “No human is illegal,” “ICE melts under resistance,” and many others.

Officials and immigration advocates said that at the time, around 20 women were being held inside the station and could be moved to Texas that evening. CNY Central is seeking to verify where the detainees are.

By Monday morning, September 8, a tent encampment formed outside the Border Patrol Station. Those protesters are believed to be associated with the advocacy group, “Indivisible,” according to social media posts. The national activism group with local chapters seeks community-led justice.

Fulton Mayor Rice responds to the raid

Fulton Mayor James Rice released a statement on Monday calling the raid at the Nutrition Bar Confectioners a disregard for the Constitution.

“I hope all elected officials in New York State and beyond will join me in condemning the unjustified actions taken by the federal government against the residents of our community,” said Rice. “This is not a Republican versus Democrat issue.”

Rice did not mention anything regarding Hochul alleging a raid at Teti Bakery in Volney. However, he did confirm that deputies with the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office were offering assistance to the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office with traffic control and security to the benefit of federal agents in Cato.

Representative Mannion speaks out

Representative John Mannion (D, NY-22) spoke out on Monday against the Immigration & Customs Enforcement raid at Nutrition Bar Confectioners. Of note, the facility is not in the Democrats’ district.

“Congress needs to find the will to enact commonsense immigration reform,” he said. “We must balance public safety and a stronger immigration system with one that supports our economy and keeps families together.”

Mannion said that the developments coming out of the situation are “extremely concerning.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Sarcone III warns illegal immigrants and employers

Acting U.S. Attorney John Sarcone III warned illegal immigrants to stay out of the United States on Sept. 9. Sarcone III held a news conference in Albany regarding the situation developing out of Nutrition Bar Confectioners. In it, he revealed that 57 people were detained in the immigration raid. He said five were facing a felony charge for re-entering the country after they were previously deported.

He also warned employers in New York State not to hire illegal immigrants. He said Nutrition Bar Confectioners is being investigated for having employees who were in the country illegally. He could not comment on if the business knew that the detainees were in the country illegally.

This is a developing story.