Sackets Harbor, N.Y. — A mother and her three children, one of whom is a third grader, were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last Thursday in their upstate New York community before being transferred nearly 2,000 miles to the Karnes detention facility in Texas.
The abrupt removal has sparked outcry from local residents and school officials, who say the family’s absence will leave a painful void in the tight-knit community. The Sackets Harbor Central School District, where two of the children were enrolled, expressed concern over the disruption to their education and well-being.
The arrests reflect a broader escalation in ICE enforcement operations nationwide, with advocacy groups warning of the destabilizing effects on families and communities.
Community Backlash
United We Dream, a leading immigrant youth advocacy organization, condemned the detention in a sharply worded statement:
“There is no justification for tearing children from their schools and parents from their homes,” the group said. “The abduction of this family—including an elementary student—exposes the human cost of ICE’s mass detention agenda. Sackets Harbor’s schools, workplaces, and farms are already feeling the loss.”
The statement highlighted the family’s deep ties to the area, noting the mother’s role in supporting local dairy farms—a critical industry in the region. With her detention, the community faces not only emotional distress but economic ripple effects.
Growing National Trend
The incident aligns with reports of increased ICE arrests under recent federal policies targeting undocumented families. Advocates warn that such enforcement actions often separate caregivers from children, destabilize local economies, and traumatize communities.
“ICE’s indiscriminate enforcement is sowing chaos,” United We Dream added. “Every day this continues, more children lose their chance to grow up safely where they belong. We demand this family’s immediate release and an end to these brutal tactics.”
As of publication, ICE has not publicly commented on the case. Community members in Sackets Harbor are organizing vigils and petitioning elected officials to intervene.
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