Latest news with #JesusRomero-Hernandez
USA Today
05-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
County legislature comments on ICE operations, IC athletic upgrades, weekend events
Good morning. ☀️ It's Thursday so I'll be going over some weekend events in Ithaca this weekend later on in this newsletter. Click here to sign up for more updates: I'm sending out news you should know Monday through Friday. Without further ado, here's an update on Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in Ithaca. Tompkins County legislators, residents comment on Ithaca ICE operations A federal judge will hold Mexican citizen Jesus Romero-Hernandez, 27, in custody following his arrest in Ithaca Thursday. President Donald Trump's Department of Justice alleged in a statement that the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office released Romero-Hernandez last week before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents could retrieve the man, awaiting resolution of state assault charges. Tompkins County legislators and Ithaca residents expressed a range of reactions to Tompkins County Sherriff Derek Osborne's actions, according to a video of the Tuesday, Feb. 4 meeting. Click here for more details. Here's some more news you should know today Ithaca College has unveiled plans for a new outdoor track and field facility, funded through a seven-figure donation from an alumni couple: Delhi, NY-based Clark Companies will begin the facility's construction on campus this April pending approvals from the Town of Ithaca. Delhi, NY-based Clark Companies will begin the facility's construction on campus this April pending approvals from the Town of Ithaca. People across the country rejected project 2025, Trump administration MO with protests Wednesday: The movement was staged by a group "supporting the free expression of regular Americans' dissatisfaction" with the plan. The movement was staged by a group "supporting the free expression of regular Americans' dissatisfaction" with the plan. More New Yorkers have been prescribed medications for opioid use disorder increased 7% this year:Click here for more information on controlled substances in NY and addiction medication. History, art and some heart this weekend in Tompkins County The History Center in Tompkins County will open its new exhibit this weekend. Enjoy some "Trains, Planes, and Automobiles: Buses, Boats, and Bikes" at 110 North Tioga Street in Ithaca on Friday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. You can also check out Ithaca Gallery Night while you're there for an artful exploration of gender rebellion and more art exhibitions. Good Neighbor Grocery in Groton is highlighting the AllTrails app and showing people how to use it to hike little-known trails around the town this weekend for its monthly Trail Mixer. Click here for more info. Last but not least, Hopshire Farm & Brewery in Freeville will be open to help you celebrate the big game this weekend. The brewery will open at noon Sunday to prepare for kickoff at 6:30 p.m. Thanks for sticking with me, but that's about all I've got for you today. Feel free to reach out to me at jmack@ with any comments, questions, concerns or story ideas for this newsletter.
USA Today
05-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
ICE in Ithaca: Tompkins County legislators, residents react to recent deportation efforts
A federal judge will hold Mexican citizen Jesus Romero-Hernandez in custody following his arrest in Ithaca on Thursday. President Donald Trump's Department of Justice alleged in a statement that the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office released Romero-Hernandez last week before federal agents could retrieve him. Several people applauded the sheriff for adhering to sanctuary city policies like those in place throughout Tompkins County, while others questioned the decision. A federal judge will hold Mexican citizen Jesus Romero-Hernandez, 27, in custody following his arrest in Ithaca Thursday. President Donald Trump's Department of Justice alleged in a statement that the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office released Romero-Hernandez last week before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents could retrieve the man, awaiting resolution of state assault charges. Tompkins County legislators and Ithaca residents expressed a range of reactions to Tompkins County Sherriff Derek Osborne's actions, according to a video of the Tuesday, Feb. 4 meeting. Several people applauded the sheriff for adhering to sanctuary city policies like those in place throughout Tompkins County. Reactions to federal presence in Tompkins County 'We support Sheriff Osborne and all our local officials who follow the law and our local sanctuary city policies when ICE came to target our city," county resident Lynne Jackier said. 'We hope that the city of Ithaca, Tompkins County and New York State are making plans in advance and getting prepared to resist the unwarranted, unjustifiable mass deportation project.' Others including Ithaca resident Zach Winn questioned the sheriff's office in its decision. "Should someone with his record, lack of citizenship, and an order of removal be allowed to remain free in the city of Ithaca, Tompkins County, or the United States?" Winn asked. 'I would like to understand the communication breakdown between federal immigration officials and the county jail. What policy led to Mr. Hernandez's release?' Winn said though many have criticized ICE operations in Tompkins County as 'excessive,' such a response would not have been necessarily had he remained in jail until immigrations and customs enforcement officials could retrieve him. Both local and federal officials have refused to answer questions regarding deportation and Romero-Hernandez's arrest according to some reports, but several Tompkins County legislators spoke to the issue Tuesday, including Michael Lane - a democratic legislator representing the city of Ithaca - who compared the United States immigrations system to a bully. Facility upgrades:Ithaca College to begin construction on updated west-campus athletic track NY Comptroller:Ithaca woman stole $70K using deceased husband's pension 'Being a bully isn't teaching people what they need to know, it isn't leadership. People don't need to be afraid of their government,' he said. 'There was nothing wrong with what our law enforcement community did here in not holding that person, what was wrong was the bully(ing) that we saw the next day.' Lane described the federal presence in downtown Ithaca as 'a bully, a show of force to frighten people.' He said federal agents have also 'been harassing' non-native migrant farmers in Geneva and throughout upstate New York.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
Feds slam upstate NY sheriff for releasing violent Mexican migrant due to ‘sanctuary city' policy
The US Department of Justice on Thursday nabbed a 'violent' illegal Mexican immigrant convicted of assault — and slammed an upstate sheriff for cutting the goon loose despite a federal deportation order. Jesus Romero-Hernandez, 27, who pleaded guilty Tuesday to third-degree assault charges in Tompkins County, was quickly released by the local sheriff's office despite a federal arrest warrant — a symptom of the Empire State's migrant-friendly 'sanctuary' status, federal prosecutors said in a release. On Thursday, the US Marshals Service and federal immigration agents caught up with the fugitive. 'Federal agents risked their safety and pursued the defendant in unsafe conditions,' Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove fumed in a statement after the operations. 'Today, they were successful in recapturing the defendant,' Bove said. 'I applaud the U.S. Attorney's commitment to investigate these circumstances for potential prosecution, and the efforts of the agents who were able to arrest the defendant under wholly avoidable circumstances.' According to the feds, Romero-Hernandez was taken into custody and deported in the past, but returned to the US at some point. On Jan. 8, 2024, while still on the loose, he was charged with illegally re-entering the county and was marked for deportation. When the migrant was busted on assault charges in Ithaca, federal immigration officials requested he be held by the sheriff's office — which was ignored and he was released. The Tompkins County Sheriff's Office did not respond to a request for comment on the case. But in a statement, county officials addressed the incident. 'The County is aware of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity at the Human Services Building (320 W. State St./MLK Jr St., Ithaca) today … and is fully investigating the circumstances. 'The individual in question was recently released from the Tompkins County jail,' the statement said. 'The public should be assured that the county continues to adhere to its long-standing policies concerning interaction with federal immigration authorities.' A spokesperson for the city of Ithaca said in a separate release that the city and the county both adopted sanctuary policies in 2017 'in resistance to President Trump's first election.' 'Tompkins County's policy states that county employees, such as the sheriff, 'should not engage in certain activities solely for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration law, including 'a civil immigration warrant,' administrative warrant, or an immigration detainer in the individual's name, including those identified in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database,' the rep said in an email. Trump, now back in the White House, has long been a vocal critic of 'sanctuary' policies adopted by New York and other states, and has now launched a nationwide manhunt for violent illegal immigrants. 'The Justice Department will not tolerate actions that endanger law enforcement and make their jobs harder than they already are, as they work to protect us all,' Bove said in Thursday's statement. 'We will use every tool at our disposal to prevent sanctuary city policies from impeding and obstructing lawful federal operations designed to make America safe again and end the national crisis arising from four years of failed immigration policy.' A spokesperson for New York State Police Troop C said in a statement that the department 'was an assisting agency in an investigation,' but did not provide details.
USA Today
30-01-2025
- USA Today
U.S Attorney: Mexican national arrested on federal charges after release by sheriff
U.S Attorney: Mexican national arrested on federal charges after release by sheriff Mexican citizen Jesus Romero-Hernandez was released from the custody of the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office before he was arrested by Immigrations Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and Removal Operations on Thursday in Ithaca, according to a statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ). Romero-Hernandez, 27, was in the sheriff's custody awaiting resolution of New York State assault charges. His assault charges were resolved after he pleaded guilty to assault in the third degree and was given a sentence of time served, according to the statement. On January 28, the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office "refused to honor the federal arrest warrant and released Romero-Hernandez before ICE-ERO arrived to pick him up and bring him to federal court in Syracuse to be arraigned on the pending federal criminal complaint," according to the statement. Romero-Hernandez was charged in a federal criminal complaint on Jan. 8, 2024, with illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal, according to the DOJ. The Tompkins County sheriff did not immediately return calls seeking comment. More: What is ICE, and what will the group do in light of recent presidential orders? The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the release, according to the statement. Ithaca responds to ICE actions City of Ithaca officials responded to the release by stating Ithaca police officers were not involved in the matter. "The City of Ithaca has been made aware that federal law enforcement conducted operations in Ithaca today in connection with federal warrants," city officials said in a statement. "The Ithaca Police Department adhered to all relevant city policies, including Ithaca's Sanctuary City policy - Article VI of Chapter 215 of the Ithaca City Code - in consultation with the City Attorney and City Manager's office." In accordance with city law, IPD officers did not participate in any immigration enforcement activities. The last time ICE made major headlines in the Ithaca area, the group arrested 3 men in Ithaca within two weeks in 2018 during President Trump's first term following tightened immigration orders.
