Statement from State Senator Christopher J. Ryan on Illegal ICE Raids in Cato

“The ICE raids in Cato — where more than 40 of our neighbors were taken— are acts that undermine governmental transparency and American values that we fight to maintain. These raids separated families, disregarded the privacy of workers, and disrupted the civility and normalcy of everyday business operations.

New York has always stood for security and justice. That means targeting dangerous criminals — not storming into private businesses and harshly removing people from their place of work with little dignity. These acts make us weaker by spreading fear, destabilizing households, and leaving children without parents at home.

I have been in contact with Senator Schumer, Governor Hochul, Congresswoman Tenney, State Senator May and the Oswego County Sheriff’s Department and will stay informed as more information becomes available. We must ensure every possible safeguard for the children and families involved and hold our federal and local agencies to the highest standard of transparency and humanity.

As long as I serve, I will not allow New York’s values to be trampled. We can keep our communities safe without sacrificing our compassion or abandoning our neighbors. That is the standard we should expect, and I intend to fight for it.”