(SYRACUSE, NEW YORK) Two employees of SUNY Upstate Medical University were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during immigration hearings in Syracuse on October 29, 2025, union leaders said, an intervention that halted proceedings intended to finalize the workers’ legal status and now leaves both facing possible deportation. Union officials from the Civil Service Employees Association and United University Professions said the detentions occurred before either employee could enter the courtroom for their scheduled appearances.
The employees’ names have not been released. One works at SUNY Upstate Medical University as a member of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), and the other is represented by United University Professions (UUP), according to the unions. Union representatives said both have been employed by New York State since 2022 and 2024, respectively, and were attending immigration hearings that, according to the unions, were set to move their cases toward completion.
CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan condemned the arrests and urged federal authorities to release the employees immediately. Calling the detentions “unjust and inhumane,” Sullivan said the two detained workers are part of the hospital’s daily life and serve patients and neighbors alongside colleagues across departments.
“They are part of our Upstate family, they are our co-workers, our neighbors, and valued contributors to the hospital and community. No one should be punished for following the law. Our union members and all hospital employees deserve dignity, respect and the chance to live and work without fear,” said Sullivan.
Union officials described the events as especially troubling because they unfolded outside the courtroom, interrupting scheduled immigration hearings that had been arranged to resolve the workers’ status. The unions said the pair were stopped and taken into custody before they could step inside to participate in proceedings. That sequence, they argue, raises concerns about whether people trying to follow legal processes are now at risk of being detained as they present themselves for required appointments.
United University Professions, which represents academic and professional staff at public universities and health sciences centers across the state, joined CSEA in calling for the immediate release of the two SUNY Upstate Medical University employees. The organizations said their members, and hospital employees more broadly, should not face detention while attempting to comply with immigration rules. Both unions said immigration policies should be “fair, humane, and transparent” and reflect “the values of justice and compassion our nation claims to uphold.”
The two unions also pressed for clarity from federal authorities on why the employees were detained before their hearings, how the detentions will affect their cases, and what steps will follow in the coming days. They said both individuals now face possible deportation, a risk that, if carried out, would remove two state employees from SUNY Upstate Medical University and leave unanswered questions for their colleagues and patients who depend on hospital staff.
As of the latest reports, ICE has not issued a public statement about the detentions. SUNY Upstate Medical University has also not released a comment explaining what it knows about the cases or how it is responding internally, the unions said. The lack of official accounts from ICE and the university has left union leaders to piece together the timeline and press for additional information, with both organizations saying they want to ensure their members can attend immigration hearings without fearing arrest outside the courtroom doors.
Union representatives said both employees had expected Wednesday’s appearances to be procedural steps toward settling their immigration status. Instead, the episode has turned into a case study in how swiftly outcomes can change even for people who arrive on time and prepared for scheduled hearings. The unions said the detentions before entry to the courtroom cut off the workers’ ability to make their case and has now moved the matter from a hearing format into custody, where the two could face removal from the United States.
CSEA and UUP said they are seeking meetings with ICE and SUNY Upstate Medical University, and asking community leaders and elected officials to support their push for the workers’ release. They also want clear guidance so that other employees know what to expect when they attend immigration hearings. The unions argued that workers complying with official processes should be able to do so without fear of detention at the courthouse threshold.
While the unions did not share personal details about the two individuals, they emphasized that both have worked for the state for multiple years, starting in 2022 and 2024. They framed that service as a reminder that the employees are part of the daily operation of a busy health system and said colleagues at the hospital view them as contributors to patient care and community health. In casting the detentions as a threat to that stability, labor leaders urged ICE to consider the role the workers play in Central New York’s largest academic medical center as it delivers care to patients and trains health professionals.
The episode is the latest point of friction between immigration enforcement and those attempting to resolve their cases through the courts. Here, the unions said the concern is especially acute because the detentions reportedly took place before the hearing room doors, raising practical questions for others in similar situations who were planning to attend their own proceedings in Syracuse. Union officials said they worry about the message that sends to people who have already scheduled dates, gathered documents, and prepared to answer questions from an immigration judge.
CSEA’s Mary E. Sullivan said the organization’s members expect to be treated with fairness when they follow legal steps. She reiterated that the two detained employees are part of the SUNY Upstate Medical University community and should be allowed to return to their jobs as their immigration cases proceed through normal channels.
“They are part of our Upstate family, they are our co-workers, our neighbors, and valued contributors to the hospital and community. No one should be punished for following the law. Our union members and all hospital employees deserve dignity, respect and the chance to live and work without fear,” she said, repeating her call for their release and for policies that are “fair, humane, and transparent” and reflect “the values of justice and compassion our nation claims to uphold.”
As of October 30, 2025, no additional personal details about the two employees or the specific circumstances of their cases have been made public, union officials said. The situation remains fluid, with CSEA and UUP urging ICE to comment and asking SUNY Upstate Medical University to share what it can about the detentions and next steps. For people with upcoming immigration hearings, general information about the courts is available from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review.
Union leaders said they will continue to push for the employees’ release and for broader assurances that workers who show up for immigration hearings will be able to walk through the courtroom doors. In the absence of statements from ICE or the university, they said they plan to keep pressing for answers, while SUNY Upstate Medical University employees wait to learn whether their two colleagues will be returned to their jobs or moved closer to deportation.
This Article in a Nutshell
On October 29, 2025, ICE detained two SUNY Upstate Medical University employees outside Syracuse immigration hearings, interrupting proceedings intended to resolve their status and exposing them to possible deportation. The workers, employed by New York State since 2022 and 2024, respectively, were represented by CSEA and UUP. Both unions called for immediate release, demanded explanations from ICE and SUNY Upstate, and sought meetings to protect employees who attend immigration hearings. As of October 30, neither ICE nor the university had issued public statements.
