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Schenck appeared at the Cayuga County Legislature's Judicial and Public Safety Committee meeting on Tuesday and sought to inform legislators about the sheriff's office involvement in the raid at Nutrition Bar Confectioners. Several of the details were included in a statement he provided to ÓÐÁϺÐ×Ó and other media outlets on Friday.

Border Patrol contacted Schenck on July 30 regarding a "criminal investigation" at Nutrition Bar Confectioners. Schenck noted that his department has a partnership with the Border Patrol and the sheriff's office receives annual funding from the agency.

The sheriff's office received $180,000 from the Border Patrol in 2011 to purchase a mobile command center, an RV-style vehicle that was deployed for the raid. Schenck said the mobile command center is used for major incidents and the fireworks at Emerson Park. 

In response to a question from Legislator Amy Sargent, Schenck said the Border Patrol requested the mobile command center and other resources. One of the agency's requests was for deputies to provide scene security and traffic enforcement, he said. The Border Patrol will cover the overtime costs associated with deputies being assigned to that detail.

Schenck repeated what he said in his statement and previously to ÓÐÁϺÐ×Ó â€” that the sheriff's office was not engaged in immigration enforcement at Nutrition Bar Confectioners. In New York, local law enforcement agencies are not authorized to independently enforce civil immigration law. Agencies can assist federal authorities conducting raids, as the sheriff's office did last week.

"This is not our primary role in the work that we do as a sheriff's office locally," he said. "We do partner with Border Patrol, but that's obviously not our primary role in partnering with them."

There have been questions about whether more immigration raids will occur in Cayuga County. Before 69 workers were detained at Nutrition Bar Confectioners, federal authorities detained a member of a work crew at an Auburn home.

Schenck said he is not aware of any plans by federal agencies to execute more search warrants, but added that he "can't speak for them."

Following Schenck's remarks, Legislator Heidi Nightengale read a statement on behalf of herself and four other Democratic legislators — Elane Daly, Aileen McNabb-Coleman, Sargent and Ben Vitale.

In the joint statement, the legislators condemned the process and procedures used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which they said show a disregard for the Constitution.

"The actions of a sweeping roundup of 60 Hispanic workers in their workplace caused a sense of fear and emotional violence unseen in Cayuga County before," the legislators said. "These actions shake the core values of our community. We condemn the lack of due process and the use of terrorizing tactics, including immediate separation of families, that were used in this raid."

The legislators noted the sheriff's office's involvement was "independent of the Cayuga County Legislature" and that the Legislature was not aware of the agency's involvement in advance.

Some of the legislators told their colleagues they have heard from constituents who are concerned about the raid and how it affects local residents.

"They're afraid that they're going to be picked up. They're afraid of county government now," McNabb-Coleman said. "Although I try to allay some of that fear, it's a message that was sent. It's something we need to think about and be mindful of moving forward. I don't know how we get around changing that message, but it's kind of a terrible place to be as a member of county government that people don't feel as though we will look out for them."

Other legislators showed their support for the sheriff's office's role in the raid. Legislator Hans Pecher said he hopes the sheriff continues to provide assistance to other law enforcement agencies when requested.

Schenck acknowledged that the immigration enforcement action has "real impacts to real people." Advocates assisting the detained workers told ÓÐÁϺÐ×Ó that some are mothers of young children.

"That weighs on me," he said. "I know it weighs on a lot of people. Certainly for the people that it impacts directly, and I don't take that lightly."

Schenck continued, "When looking at this whole situation and what I did initially before this decision was made, I don't do that with any coldheartedness toward this population. I know that this has permanent lasting impacts on people that have been in our community and are still here."