One man detained by ICE agents in Tannersville on Wednesday morning was identified as Francisco “Pancho” Marmolejo-Silva, a longtime local contractor, according to local lawyer Greg A local lawyer identified the man detained by ICE agents in Tannersville on Wednesday as longtime local contractor Francisco “Pancho” Marmolejo-Silva, while the Greene County Sheriff confirmed a second unidentified man was taken into custody during a related traffic stop in Windham.
“We did know about this,” the sheriff, Pete Kusminsky said on Thursday. His office has a working relationship with ICE and sometimes collaborates with the agency, although ICE doesn’t always alert the sheriff about enforcement operations, he said.
Multiple ICE agents wearing vests and carrying rifles detained Marmolejo-Silva near a Sunoco gas station on Route 23A in Tannersville shortly before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, according to Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, an immigrant-support group.
Vincent Butera, superintendent of the Hunter-Tannersville Central School District, said Wednesday that he’s looking into reports that the operation took place in sight of children on a school bus. He didn’t respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
Hunter wasn’t notified prior to the arrests, said Town Supervisor Sean Mahoney.
“Multiple people were detained,” Mahoney said on Thursday. “Not just one.”
County Legislator Daryl Legg, a Democrat representing Hunter, said he also wasn’t aware of the raid beforehand and that he would seek more details.
Marmolejo is undocumented and has deep roots in the community, according to Greg Lubow, the Tannersville criminal defense attorney who identified him as one of the two detainees and is friends with him.
“He started working in landscaping in Windham, got into painting and contracting,” Lubow said. “He owns a successful business, owns a house, pays taxes.”
Lubow described Marmolejo-Silva as a hard worker who built his painting business, Pancho’s Painting, largely through word of mouth.
“Was this targeted or random? We just don’t know,” Lubow said. “He was invested in the community and this community is invested in him.”
A person who identified himself as Leonardo Jaimes, Marmolego-Silva’s son, disputed Lubow’s contention that the housepainter wasn’t documented, calling him “a great citizen of this country” in a social media post. Reached by email, the person declined further comment.
One Hunter resident, retired contractor John Ferguson, said he’s known Marmolejo-Silva for years through construction work and described the federal response as excessive.
“I know his character,” said Ferguson, 69. “They didn’t have to go overboard for one person and do this in front of a school bus. He is a good man.”
Federal immigration authorities haven’t released details of the detentions, including the basis for the arrests.
Columbia County Sanctuary Movement operates a hotline to report immigration enforcement activity and circulates guidance reminding residents of their rights, including the right to remain silent and the right not to open the door without a warrant.
This story was updated at 5:10 p.m. on April 17, 2026
Noah Eckstein is the editor-in-chief of The Overlook. Send correspondence to noah@theoverlooknews.com.