Statement from County Executive McCoy on Albany County Assistance with Child Reunification After ICE Stop on Sunday

I want to commend the Albany County Department for Children, Youth and Families for the care, comfort and compassion our caseworkers offered as they worked to reunite a 7-year-old boy with his mother after and ICE stop on Sunday, August 31^st in the city of Albany. The child was in a car with three men when it was pulled over off of Everett Road by ICE. The men jumped out and ran, leaving the boy alone in the car.

Ultimately, the deportation officer was connected with the NYS Central Register for Child Abuse hotline which sent the information to our DCYF team. Caseworkers were able to contact the child's mother in New York City and found out the boy had been visiting with his father. Arrangements were made for the child's aunt to pick him up. The boy was reunited with her and then take to New York City to his mother.

Our DCYF staff spent 7 hours with the child, making sure he was taken care of and reunited with his family. While the child is an American citizen, regardless of immigration status, our Department for Children, Youth and Families would follow the same procedure to ensure the safety and wellbeing of any child.