(ALBANY, NEW YORK) - United University Professions (UUP) President Fred Kowal has issued a statement on a bond being granted to a UUP Member arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agents.

The bond order is for Alcibiades “Alex” Lazaro Ramierez González, a UUP Member who works at the Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

He and his husband, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Member Yannier “Yan” Vázquez Hildago, were detained by ICE in October 2025 while waiting to attend a scheduled Immigration Hearing.

In January, a Federal Immigration Judge ordered both men deported to Ecuador.

González filed an appeal to the ruling January 21st.

Vázquez appealed his order on January 22nd.

Both are still being held at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center in Batavia.

UUP President Kowal said:

“We welcome this great news, that these two Union Members have a bond order to be released from ICE detention, even though they didn’t deserve to be there in the first place. It’s a gross injustice that they were even seized. Alex and Yan were following the rules, moving lawfully through the Federal Immigration System with the goal of one day being allowed to stay and live in America. We were - and continue to be - appalled that they were detained by ICE, which is why we’ve spoken out so forcefully in their defense. While we are glad that Alex and Yan will soon return home, it is not enough. Our Union calls for Alex and Yan to be released so they can resume their lives in freedom while working through the process to gain full Refugee Status in the U.S. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to donate to a GoFundMe site set up for Alex and Yan - at https://www.gofundme.com/f/welcome-home-alex-and-yan - to help them post bail, pay for legal expenses and help them rebuild their lives after months of detainment.”

UUP is the Nation's largest Higher Education Union, with more than 42,000 Academic and Professional Faculty and Retirees.

UUP Members work at 29 New York State-operated Campuses, including SUNY’s Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Science Centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse.

UUP is an Affiliate of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA) and the AFL-CIO.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: Press Release | Statement by United University Professions President Frederick E. Kowal on bond being granted to UUP member arrested by ICE agents