Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested two people in the village of Johnson City on Monday, prompting pushback from some local elected officials.
A video posted on social media shows several agents detaining at least one person on Main Street in Johnson City Monday morning.
In a statement, an ICE spokesperson said agents took two men from Honduras and Ecuador into custody.
“Both admitted to illegally entering the United States and that they lack the proper documents to remain. Both aliens were taken into ICE custody pending their removal proceedings,” the spokesperson said.
Social media posts since Monday mention other ICE arrests across Broome County, and WIVT reports ICE agents arrested a man in Binghamton on Tuesday.
WSKG has not been able to independently verify other arrests in the area. ICE did not immediately respond to further requests for information.
In a statement, Republican Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham said that the ICE operations took place “without the Binghamton Police Department’s involvement or even their prior notification.”
“I continue to be concerned by ICE raids and operations under the Trump administration, which have included the use of unidentified masked personnel and raise serious questions around constitutional policing, due process and accountability,” Kraham said.
Democratic State Senator Lea Webb and Democratic Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo put out a joint statement condemning the arrests.
“It is our understanding that ICE agents are in our community making arrests through profiling rather than by judicial warrant,” the statement said. “We want to make it abundantly clear that ICE’s presence is not welcome here.”