ICE Denies Random Raid, Says Tip Led to Arrests of Farm Workers in New York

In the early morning hours of August 14th, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carried out an operation at Lynn-Ette & Sons Farms in Albion, New York, that resulted in the arrest of seven workers, including four from Mexico and three from Guatemala.

After reports of the incident surfaced, ICE clarified that the enforcement action was not a random raid but rather the result of an intelligence tip. The agency stated that its officers were pursuing a specific individual who had a final removal order issued by an immigration judge in December 2020.

Officials emphasized that their enforcement operations are guided by targeted leads and that they do not indiscriminately arrest individuals. ICE publicly named the workers it detained.

The disclosure that the action was based on a tip has fueled speculation among workers that farm management may have played a role in alerting federal authorities, particularly as tensions rise over an ongoing labor dispute. Workers at Lynn-Ette have been organizing under the United Farm Workers (UFW) as part of a statewide push to unionize agricultural labor following New York’s 2019 law granting farm workers collective bargaining rights.

On July 1st, workers secured a contract providing higher pay, health benefits, and retirement contributions, but Lynn-Ette has not recognized the agreement.

The August arrests marked the second enforcement action at the farm in three months. In May, federal agents intercepted a bus transporting workers, arriving with a list of names that included key labor organizers, and detained 14 individuals.

It is unknown the extent of Lynn-Ette’s involvement in contacting ICE as a form of retribution.

UFW leaders have not directly accused farm management of notifying federal authorities but argue that ICE’s presence has undermined organizing efforts. They note that workers who have lived and labored in the United States for years now face deportation and that the environment of fear created by these arrests has disrupted union activities.

According to the UFW, the recent enforcement actions have stalled progress on securing recognition of the contract, making it more difficult for workers to advocate for better wages and conditions.

ICE Denies Random Raid, Says Tip Led to Arrests of Farm Workers in New York