Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Gov. Cuomo condemns federal raid on upstate dairy farm

Gov. Andrew Cuomo
File photo
Gov. Andrew Cuomo

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York's governor is threatening to sue federal immigration officials following a raid on an upstate dairy farm that he says was illegal. 

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a cease and desist letter to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency Wednesday. 

The unusual move came after armed ICE agents arrested a worker at a farm in Rome last week. Farmer John Collins says the agents did not produce a warrant or identify themselves and handcuffed him when he tried to videotape the incident. He says they also destroyed his cellphone. 

Cuomo says the officers' conduct violated the Constitution and basic provisions of state and federal law. 

ICE has said that it did have a warrant. A spokesman did not immediately respond to questions about the officers' conduct Wednesday.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.