Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday visited Nutrition Bar Confectioners in the town of Ira, where 57 workers were detained in a federal immigration raid nearly two weeks ago.
Hochul met with members of the Schmidt family, who own the company, and toured the facility. She said she saw idle production lines and described the business as “struggling to keep afloat” following the raid. While some employees who are not detained are still on the job, others have chosen not to return.
Speaking later in Syracuse, Hochul criticized federal agents for how the operation was conducted. She noted that when the raid began, company officials were told agents were searching for violent criminals. However, Acting U.S. Attorney John Sarcone announced last week that none of the 57 detained workers were charged with violent crimes. According to Sarcone, five of the individuals face felony charges for reentering the U.S. illegally, while the remaining 52 were deported for being in the country unlawfully.
The governor said the situation highlights the need for immigration policies that protect families while supporting local businesses.
You can see all of the Governor’s comments in the video below:
Additional photos from the Governor’s visit are below, courtesy of her Flickr account:
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