ICE raids New York farm in the process of unionizing for the second time

Farmworkers in upstate New York experienced an unfortunate sense of déjà vu a few days ago. On their way to work, they were victims of an ICE raid, the second in just over three months. Four Mexicans and three Guatemalans from the Lynn-Ette & Sons agricultural company in Orleans County were arrested on August 14. The United Farm Workers (UFW) agricultural union denounces this as targeting of certain workers; leaders in the process of signing a union contract.

The union explains that this second ICE action has left more families torn apart and has demanded an end to immigration raids targeting farmworkers. But in particular, it called for an end to what the UFW sees as “the shameful complicity of employers in the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate legal protections and perpetuate low wages for farmworkers, in addition to the immediate implementation of the Lynn-Ette agreement.”

In May, a similar raid at the same location saw 14 workers detained. Four have been released on bail, but the rest were deported to their home countries. Among them were the initial leaders of the labor organizing effort. Furthermore, one of those released after the first raid was also in the van intercepted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) this month and was questioned.

The UFW is currently organizing workers on various farms in New York State. In Lynn-Ette’s case, it is certified to represent seasonal workers — on H2A visas — who make up a total workforce of about 140 employees. Those who work year-round on the farm, like those detained in the van, do not yet have this representation.

Armando Elenes, secretary and treasurer of the UFW in New York, says that after what happened in May, there is no evidence that the farm has provided training to those who operate these trucks and are responsible for defending employees in the event of raids. Likewise, the union has no knowledge of similar raids on other farms in the area.

In light of these operations, Elenes explains that the union is seeking assistance to support the workers, even though they are not officially members, as they did with those detained in May. “We are already seeking funds for bail and legal representation. Additionally, [those deported in May] are still owed money because they haven’t cashed their checks. We know the Department of Labor has them, but we haven’t been able to deliver them.”

Since the Farmworker Fair Practices Act was enacted in New York State in 2020, workers have been entitled to a collective bargaining agreement. The UFW has made a significant labor organizing effort and in 2025 managed to secure several contracts through arbitration, as farm owners refused to participate in the negotiation processes that had been launched. Elenes asserts that Lynn-Ette is one of those that has not begun to implement the agreement.

Elenes also emphasizes the climate of fear being generated by these ICE raids among people “who have to work, who have to earn money because rent and food don’t wait; they have to be paid.” The current administration’s anti-immigrant policies have increased the burden on an already vulnerable population, with harsh working conditions and chronic job insecurity.

Lynn-Ette & Sons has not commented on the matter and declined to respond to this newspaper’s questions. In May, however, it issued a statement stating that it was “heartbroken by ICE’s recent action.” At the time, the farm defended itself by stating that the workers were not only vital to operations but also “valued members” of the “family,” as many of them had worked for years on the property, which grows vegetables and grains. The statement expressed concern about how the raid had unfolded, called for dignity in the treatment of those detained, and rejected accusations that the raid was retaliation for union activity.

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