Cayuga County sheriff says office provided traffic control during Cato factory search; Democratic legislators condemn federal tactics

Cayuga County Sheriff told the County Legislature that the county’s role in a federal search-warrant execution at a nutrition bar confectioners plant in Cato was limited to traffic control, on-site security and providing a command post, and that county personnel did not take part in searches or seizures.

The sheriff said federal agents contacted his office around July 30 about an ongoing criminal investigation and that the warrant at the Cato site was executed on Sept. 4. “Our role in that incident on the fourth was to provide traffic control for the highway there,” the sheriff said. “We did not provide any enforcement. We did not do any searching. We did not seize anything.” He also said federal partners reimbursed the county for overtime pay for the deputies who worked the detail.

The county statement followed widespread local media and social-media attention to the operation. A group of Democratic County legislators delivered a formal public statement on the county floor condemning the tactics they said were used in the raid. The legislators said the operation — which they described as a sweeping roundup of dozens of Hispanic workers at their workplace — showed “complete disregard for the Constitution,” singled out U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and criticized tactics they said caused “a sense of fear and emotional violence.”

Why it matters: the exchange highlighted competing public expectations about local law-enforcement cooperation with federal immigration and criminal investigations. Several county legislators and members of the public said they had received calls from frightened community members after the raid; others on the floor urged patience until federal agencies release more details.

Sheriff’s account and limitations on detail The sheriff told legislators he could not discuss many elements of the federal investigation and urged the public to rely on facts released by federal law enforcement. He said the county has a longstanding partnership with Border Patrol and related federal agencies dating back at least to 2009 and noted the county formerly received federal funding for a mobile command post that can be used for major incidents.

Legislators pressed the sheriff and asked whether additional operations were planned; the sheriff said he was not aware of any future searches in which the county would be involved but said he could not speak for federal agencies.

Democratic caucus statement A legislator identified on the record as speaking for the county’s Democratic legislators read a prepared statement that listed several named Democratic legislators as signatories and said the group “publicly condemn[ed] the process and the procedures taken by ICE in a raid at the nutrition bar confectioners factory in Cato.” The statement criticized “sweeping roundup” tactics and said the operation caused lasting emotional harm to affected families and community members.

Local reaction and concern Several legislators and members of the public said they had received calls from residents who were alarmed or fearful following the operation. One legislator described receiving a message from a foster parent whose adult foster-child was “completely terrorized.” Others on the floor said the county should be mindful of the long-term community effects and urged officials to wait for full facts before drawing conclusions.

What the sheriff asked the public to know The sheriff asked residents to wait for federal agencies to release additional details of their investigation and repeated that the county’s role last week was limited to traffic control, security and providing the command post; he said the county did not conduct searches or make arrests in the operation.

Looking ahead No formal county policy changes or votes related to the operation were taken at the meeting. Several legislators said they will monitor federal disclosures and constituent concerns as more information becomes available.