Syracuse, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul today condemned the detention of two SUNY Upstate Medical University employees by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Hochul said she recently met with the families of the two men and representatives of their unions. The families were also able to visit the men at the federal immigration detention center in Batavia, she said.
Hochul was in Syracuse to campaign for Sharron Owens, who is running for mayor.
Both men are from Cuba. They were taken into custody Wednesday when they went to a hearing at ICE’s Mattydale offices, according to their unions.
The men work in the environmental services department at the state-run hospital in Syracuse. They have been employed by New York state since 2022 and 2024, according to the Civil Service Employees Association.
The hospital said in a statement that both men had legal authorization to live and work in the U.S.
One of the men is represented by CSEA; the other is a member of United University Professions, which represents academic and professional employees across the SUNY system. The men own a home in North Syracuse, said UUP President Frederick Kowal.
Hochul said Saturday that her team is working to ensure both men have good legal representation.
“This is a very treacherous time in our society, when individuals who lived here for years and are high-functioning members of our community working at SUNY Upstate are the ones who are defined as the worst of the worst,” Hochul said.
Union officials said the men were acting in good faith to finalize their legal status in the United States.
CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan said the men are “co-workers, neighbors and valued contributors” to the hospital and the community.
“No one should be punished for following the law,” she said Wednesday. “Our union members and all hospital employees deserve dignity, respect and the chance to live and work without fear.”
ICE did not respond to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard for a request for information.
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